http://dmacktyres.comDMACK Tyres Newsen-gbDMACK Plans Sport Expansion With Own Manufacturing Facilityhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-plans-sport-expansion-with-own-manufacturing-facilityhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-plans-sport-expansion-with-own-manufacturing-facilityGlobal motorsport tyre brand DMACK has agreed terms to open its own tyre manufacturing facility in Italy, allowing it to expand into other motorsport disciplines. For the first time in its 10-year history, the British firm will have total control of its production after an agreement with Marangoni will see it use part of the Italian manufacturer’s facility in Rovereto, northern Italy.
DMACK, widely known for its rally activities as official tyre supplier to the FIA World Rally Championship since 2011, has a desire to transfer its technical capability into racing by producing world-class products for the circuit racing and track markets.
The new facility will give DMACK full control of product development and manufacturing, with its technical division based in Rovereto. It will become a centre of excellence, housing a bespoke research and development facility, and will champion innovative motorsport products.
Capable of producing up to 300,000 tyres per year, the plant will also offer DMACK the flexibility to tailor short production runs for very specific applications and to meet demands for control tyre championships. It will deliver a high degree of agility, allowing the company to respond to market needs and expedite product development and new product launches.
DMACK intends to extend its motorsport reach into new disciplines by producing high-performance products for circuit racing including formula, touring-car and trackday championships and disciplines. Products will embrace the firm’s know-how from competing and winning against the likes of Michelin, Pirelli and Hankook at the very top tier of world rallying on some of the toughest roads and conditions possible.
The facility will also help future-proof the DMACK business with a European manufacturing base helping to protect against uncertainties around Brexit and the location in the Trentino province providing easy links to key continental markets.
Operations in Italy will be overseen by Alessandro Coggi who joins as managing director of DMACK Srl. Coggi has 35 years’ experience in the tyre industry as group deputy sales director at Pirelli and chief executive of Goodyear Dunlop Tires Italia. The plant is expected to create up to 50 new jobs and will see DMACK work alongside Marangoni, who will provide industrial support. The project has also received backing from the local government.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “This is a significant strategic step for DMACK, we have been striving to operate our own manufacturing facility in Europe since I started the company in 2009. We will now have total control of our range expansion plans in all fields of motorsport including the entire product development process, which is vital when working with manufacturer teams and series organisers.
“This facility will be a bespoke motorsport operation with total flexibility to produce small batch runs. This will allow us to produce tailor-made specifications for customers, be it a manufacturer team competing in high level championships such as WRC or private customers and championships who require mono brand tyres.
“We would also look at producing bespoke motorsport products for other tyre manufacturers, such as Indian or Chinese tyre brands who don’t have the expertise or facility but may wish to use motorsport to market their consumer products.
“This facility will be both an R&D centre and commercial operation. We have received great support from the local government in Trentino who have supported the project to create new jobs and utilise the existing plant.
“This is a long-term strategy and firmly secures DMACK as an industrial player as we continue to push our small company to greater heights within the tyre industry.”Fri, 23 Nov 2018 14:01:00 +0000DMACK Crew Runner-Up In Competitive Italian Championshiphttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-crew-runner-up-in-competitive-italian-championshiphttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-crew-runner-up-in-competitive-italian-championshipThe DMACK-supported crew of Umberto Scandola and Guido d&rsquo;Amore secured a stunning second overall in the 2018 Italian Rally Championship after the final round of the series at Rally Due Valli last weekend.
The result marked an impressive debut for British brand DMACK, fighting off competition from four other major tyre manufacturers as it competed in Italy for the first time. Driving a Skoda Italy-backed Fabia R5 run by S.A. Motorsport, Scandola had a season of strong results on the mainly-Tarmac based championship.
Three podium finishes, including a dominant victory on the penultimate event at Rally Adriatico, saw him come to the final round with a half point championship lead.
The battle last weekend on the Verona-based Due Valli was intense and, despite being slowed by a small mechanical problem, Scandola collected enough points to secure runner-up position in the championship.
The result capped-off a strong debut for DMACK, once again demonstrating that its asphalt products, led by the DMT-RC22 tyre, are capable of challenging for overall honours on one of the most competitive series in Europe, against tyre manufacturers with much more experience of the events and conditions.
The Italian market is a key one for DMACK with the appointment of a new dealer, Monza Gomme, earlier this year helping to strengthen sales and technical support to customers at all levels.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Umberto and the team have delivered a very strong season full of excellent results in Italy. The championship is one of the most competitive and closely-fought but DMACK has once again delivered against Pirelli, Michelin, Yokohama and Hankook. Both our gravel and Tarmac products continue to demonstrate the performance required to battle for and win key national and regional championships.&rdquo;
Umberto Scandola said: &ldquo;It was another exciting season with a big challenge between drivers and manufacturer teams. This year our team, the Skoda Fabia R5 and DMACK tyres have allowed us to win a race and finish three times on the podium, and always be competitive in the very different race conditions. We tried so hard for the championship but second is a result I&rsquo;m very happy with. We have all achieved so much this year against competitors with much more experience of this championship.&rdquo;Mon, 15 Oct 2018 15:59:00 +0000DMACK Takes First Italian Victory And Championship Leadhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-takes-first-italian-victory-and-championship-leadhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-takes-first-italian-victory-and-championship-leadDMACK secured its first-ever overall victory on the Italian Rally Championship this weekend after Umberto Scandola and Guido D'Amore dominated Rally Adriatico &ndash; the result moving them into the overall lead of the championship.
Scandola powered his DMACK-equipped Skoda Fabia R5 to a record sixth consecutive win on the event &ndash; the penultimate round of the series. He scored five stage victories, inheriting the lead during the first leg, and extended the gap to 12.3 seconds at the finish. Rally Adriatico, based in the centre of Italy around the historic medieval cities of Cingoli and Jesi, features packed gravel roads through the region&rsquo;s vineyard hills.
Scandola used DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 gravel tyres to beat off competition from the championship regulars, using tyres from four other top manufacturers. DMACK has undertaken a development programme with Scandola and his &Scaron;KODA Italia Motorsport team during 2018 and has now demonstrated it has rally-winning products which are available to all competitors in Italy via its dealer Monza Gomme.
The last two rounds benefit from 50% extra championship points, so when main championship rival Paolo Andreucci dropped off the leaderboard after rolling on the last stage, Scandola&rsquo;s maximum score moved him into a 0.5 point championship lead. He now heads to the final round, his home event of Due Valli in Verona, for the final battle to decide the championship title.
It was a double DMACK-victory as Stefano Guerra and Silvio Stefanelli took overall honours in Group N and finished 12th overall in a Subaru Impreza.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;After a number of strong results during the season, it&rsquo;s fantastic for Umberto to finally get his first rally victory using DMACK tyres. Our team in Italy has worked hard during the season in partnership with &Scaron;KODA Italia Motorsport and the final round is going to be an exciting prospect as Umberto battles for the championship title.&rdquo;
Umberto Scandola said: &ldquo;We really wanted this victory. After a lot of work in the last few months with our team and DMACK, the rally win now puts us in the lead of the championship. This year Rally Adriatico has been even more challenging than in the past, we have had to fight against very tough opponents and the pace has always been very hard. But the tyres proved both strong and fast to deal with the stages and give us the performance we needed to win.&rdquo;
1. U Scandola / G D&rsquo;Amore (DMACK) 1:12:59.7
2. S Campedelli / T Canton (Michelin) 1:13:12.0
3. N Marchioro / M Marchetti (Yokohama) 1:13:45.8
4. A Crugnola / D Fappani (Pirelli) 1:14:10.6
5. E Lindholm / M Korhonen (Michelin) 1:14:29.2Mon, 24 Sep 2018 14:56:00 +0000DMACK Unveils Special Offer For Rally GB Winning Tyreshttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-unveils-special-offer-for-rally-gb-winning-tyreshttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-unveils-special-offer-for-rally-gb-winning-tyresAfter taking its first overall FIA World Rally Championship win in 2017, DMACK is giving all competitors at this year&rsquo;s Wales Rally GB the opportunity to buy the tyres which helped Elfyn Evans cruise to a stunning victory &ndash; and with a special 15% discount to celebrate last year&rsquo;s super result.DMACK tyres have dominated the firm&rsquo;s home WRC round over the last two years. In 2016, Ott Tanak set 12 fastest stage times and finished second overall before Welshman Evans used the new DMG+22 tyres to claim nine stage wins and lead from start to finish to take his and DMACK&rsquo;s debut win in 2017.This year DMACK has nominated the exact same tyre and compounds for the event. For WRC and WRC2 competitors, the DMG+22 will be available in GS64 (soft) and GH44 (medium) compounds at a specially reduced price of &pound;214 +vat.For non-priority and national entrants in R5, S2000 and Group N machines, there are three compound options: GS82 (extra soft), GS63 (soft) and GH43 (medium) all priced at &pound;159 +vat. Drivers of R2 cars are also being offered those three compounds at the discounted price of &pound;133 +vat.Since its launch, the DMG+22 has consistently performed across a range of gravel surfaces. In 2017, DMACK took 26 stage wins over seven of the eight gravel rounds in WRC with Elfyn Evans finishing on the podium in Argentina, Finland and Rally GB.DMACK&rsquo;s premium gravel tyre has high levels of puncture resistance and a more open tread pattern to deal with the muddy conditions typically faced in the UK. Its soft GS6 level compound has consistently given drivers a competitive advantage on soft, cold and wet conditions and is the perfect choice for anyone wanting to follows in Evans&rsquo; footsteps this year.An information leaflet is available here and the Rally GB order form here.Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve proved over the last few years that our tyres deliver a significant competitive advantage at Rally GB and to celebrate that fantastic result we&rsquo;ve launched a special offer of 15% discount across our entire range. Competitors can buy exactly the same tyres that Elfyn Evans used to win last year so we&rsquo;re expecting that offer to appeal to many drivers and teams.&rdquo;Fri, 24 Aug 2018 13:11:00 +0000DMACK Launches New Historic Rally Tyre Range With Introductory Offerhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-new-historic-rally-tyre-range-with-introductory-offerhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-new-historic-rally-tyre-range-with-introductory-offerBuilding on its success in the FIA World Rally Championship and various regional and national championships around the world, DMACK has launched a new range of asphalt tyres aimed specifically at the growing category of historic and classic rallying.To celebrate the new launch, DMACK dealers will be offering 15% discount on standard pricing during August and September 2018.The new range of e-marked DMT-F Classic tyres may be targeted at competitors racing historic machinery, but the new products boast a number of state-of-the-art developments.A new tread pattern has been specifically designed to meet recent FIA directions regarding historic rally tyre regulations. The single pattern has been developed to deliver the best possible performance and safety in dry, mixed and wet conditions &ndash; delivering greater flexibility for competitors with the ability to easily mix compounds.The historic tyre is available in four compounds: hard, medium, soft and extra soft &ndash; with the extra soft securing grip and safety in full wet conditions.The construction design and optimised profile delivers the best possible footprint, delivering improved lateral grip and enhanced traction and braking performance.Three initial sizes are available &ndash; 225/45R13, 215/45R15 and 235/40R17 &ndash; but the range will be expanded over the coming months.Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve focused on building sales throughout 2018 and this new DMT-F Classic range fills a gap in the market for performance historic vehicles. The single-pattern, e-marked tyre will offer competitors a greater degree of flexibility, especially on events where conditions become mixed.&rdquo;Fiore Brivio, DMACK technical director, said: &ldquo;The tread pattern has been developed to meet new FIA directions for future tyre regulations and we&rsquo;ve come up with an asymmetric pattern which will deliver the best possible combination of performance and safety on asphalt events.&rdquo;
More info: click here.Thu, 23 Aug 2018 13:55:00 +0000Tough Sardinia Brings Summer Challenge For DMACKhttp://dmacktyres.com/tough-sardinia-brings-summer-challenge-for-dmackhttp://dmacktyres.com/tough-sardinia-brings-summer-challenge-for-dmackDMACK will take on one of the toughest rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship this week when Rally Italia Sardegna sees competitors tackle the rough, narrow tracks on the Mediterranean island.The stages can be some of the most abrasive in the series and traditional hot weather results in extremely demanding conditions for tyres, cars and crews. The rough gravel roads across the north of the island are renowned for sharp rocks which become exposed on the second pass &ndash; with damaged wheels and tyres becoming more common.2017 Performance DMACK&rsquo;s lead driver Elfyn Evans retired on the opening day after going off the road and colliding with a tree but DMACK drivers claimed all nine places in the WRC 3 championship using a specially reinforced gravel tyre introduced specifically to deal with the demands of the event.Tyre Overview The DMG+2 tyre, which worked well last year, is nominated again for WRC cars, with the hard GH34 and soft GS84 compounds selected for the event.WRC 2 and R5 cars will use the DMG+22, which also benefits from the same run-flat construction that was used in 2017 across the WRC car range. Compounds available are the hard GH44, which has been nominated for Sardinia, and soft GS64.Nominated Tyres List 1 for R5 and WRC 2 DMACK 205/65R15 DMG+22, GH44 hard (22) and GS64 soft (16) Maximum allowed: 22List 2 for WRC DMACK 215/65R15 DMG+2, GH34 hard (24) and GS84 soft (16) Maximum allowed: 24This year shakedown tyres are not included in the overall event allocation.Event Information Based: Alghero, Sardinia Start: Alghero, 17:00 on Thursday 7 June Finish: Alghero, 14:15 on Sunday 10 June Stages: 20 stages, 313.46km Longest stage: SS12/16 Monte Lerno 29.11kmDick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Sardinia has some of the toughest challenges of the year with abrasive roads, sharp rocks and high temperatures. However, both our list 1 and list 2 tyres feature a reinforced run-flat construction and we are confident that additional strength will deliver a competitive product for our customers.&rdquo;Mon, 04 Jun 2018 11:26:00 +0000DMACK Expects Another Strong Portuguese Performancehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-expects-another-strong-portuguese-performancehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-expects-another-strong-portuguese-performanceNext week&rsquo;s Rally de Portugal marks the start of a number of popular European summer rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship. Its tough gravel roads in northern Portugal have always seen DMACK&rsquo;s gravel tyres excel in the challenging conditions.The generally soft and compact stages suit both DMACK&rsquo;s nominated compounds for this year, which have already proven their performance after winning stages and leading the Portuguese event overall last year.2017 Performance Mads Ostberg was the early rally leader for DMACK after topping the time-sheets on the opening stage. Ostberg, and DMACK&rsquo;s lead driver Elfyn Evans, went on to set a string of top-three stage times, including two stage wins.Tyre Overview The DMG+2 tyre, which worked so well last year, is nominated again for WRC cars, with the medium GH34 and soft GS84 compounds perfect for the event.WRC 2 and R5 cars will use the DMG+22, which also benefits from the same run-flat construction that was used in 2017 across the WRC car range. Compounds available are the medium GH44, which has been nominated for Portugal, and soft GS64.Nominated Tyres List 1 for R5 and WRC 2 DMACK 205/65R15 DMG+22, GH44 hard (22) and GS64 soft (16) Maximum allowed: 22List 2 for WRC DMACK 215/65R15 DMG+2, GH34 hard (24) and GS84 soft (16) Maximum allowed: 24This year shakedown tyres are not included in the overall event allocation.Event Information Based: Porto, Portugal Start: Guimaraes, 18:10 on Thursday 17 May Finish: Matosinhos, 14:20 on Sunday 20 May Stages: 20 stages, 358.19km Longest stage: SS12/15 Amarante 37.60kmDick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Our tyres have historically been strong on this event with compounds well-suited to the usually compact conditions. With stage victories last year, we know our nominated tyres have the performance and capability to be competitive against Michelin and Pirelli. While we don&rsquo;t have a top WRC driver this season, we have a very strong mix of WRC2 and privateer customers next weekend.&rdquo;Fri, 11 May 2018 11:23:00 +0000DMACK Offers Perfect Winning Package For Argentinahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-offers-perfect-winning-package-for-argentinahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-offers-perfect-winning-package-for-argentinaTwelve months ago, DMACK came within less than a second of its first FIA World Rally Championship win when Elfyn Evans blitzed the opposition at Rally Argentina.DMACK&rsquo;s gravel tyres delivered a stunning performance and the British company is confident of another strong result next week on the event&rsquo;s tough gravel roads. DMACK has consistently proven it has the best possible product for the South American round of the series and the range for WRC 2 have been improved further since last year.2017 Performance Elfyn Evans used the advantage of DMACK&rsquo;s soft compound tyre to steal a march on his competitors, leading the chasing pack right until the very last stage. He lost the opportunity to take his and DMACK&rsquo;s first win by just 0.7 seconds after a sterling performance all weekend.Tyre Overview The DMG+2 tyre, which worked so well last year, is nominated again for WRC cars, with the medium GH34 and soft GS84 compounds perfect for the event.WRC 2 and R5 cars will use the DMG+22, which also benefits from the same run-flat construction that was used in 2017 across the WRC car range. Compounds available are the medium GH44, which has been nominated for Argentina, and soft GS64.Nominated Tyres List 1 for R5 and WRC 2 DMACK 205/65R15 DMG+22, GH44 hard (22) and GS64 soft (16) Maximum allowed: 22List 2 for WRC DMACK 215/65R15 DMG+2, GH34 hard (24) and GS84 soft (16) Maximum allowed: 24This year shakedown tyres are not included in the overall event allocation.Event Information Based: Villa Carlos Paz, Argentina Start: Villa Carlos Paz, 18:30 on Thursday 26 April Finish: Villa Carlos Paz, 15:00 on Sunday 29 April Stages: 18 stages, 358.25km Longest stage: SS11/15 Cuchilla Nevada &ndash; Rio Pintos 40.48kmDick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Our tyres have consistently demonstrated a competitive advantage for the last few years in Argentina so we expect next week&rsquo;s event to be no different. The nominated compounds for R5 cars are perfectly suited to the conditions in Argentina and our customers will use exactly the same compound which took Elfyn so close to the win last year.&rdquo;Fri, 20 Apr 2018 11:20:00 +0000Asphalt Action As DMACK Tackles Corsican Challengehttp://dmacktyres.com/asphalt-action-as-dmack-tackles-corsican-challengehttp://dmacktyres.com/asphalt-action-as-dmack-tackles-corsican-challengeThe first all-asphalt round of the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship season takes place this week with the gruelling Tour de Corse &ndash; famous for its relentless corners in the hills across the Mediterranean island of Corsica.DMACK will roll-out its DMT-RC22 asphalt tyre for the event, which features construction and compound improvements from last season.2017 Performance Last year&rsquo;s event was one to forget for DMACK lead driver Elfyn Evans. Technical problems on the opening day and an off-road excursion on the second day put paid to a solid result.Tyre Overview The DMT-RC22 asphalt tyre is available in two compounds, the hard H6+B nominated as the first choice for both tyre lists, and the soft option S6+. Its construction has been improved from last year and both soft and hard compounds should cover the mix of durability and performance needed in Corsica.The wet pattern DMT-W is available for the first time this year and comes in a new WXS compound featuring enhanced wet properties.Nominated Tyres List 1 for R5 and WRC 2 DMACK 225/40R18 DMT-RC22, hard H6+B (22) and soft S6+ (18) DMACK 225/40R18 DMT-W, wet WXS (8) Maximum allowed: 22List 2 for WRC DMACK 225/40R18 DMT-RC22, hard H6+B (24) and soft S6+ (20) DMACK 225/40R18 DMT-W, wet WXS (8) Maximum allowed: 24This year shakedown tyres are not included in the overall event allocation.Event Information Based: Bastia, Corsica Start: Bastia, 08:00 on Friday 6 April Finish: Ajaccio, 15:00 on Sunday 8 April Stages: 12 stages, 333.48km Longest stage: SS11 Vero &ndash; Sarrola-Carcopino 55.17kmDick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve made a number of improvements with our DMT-RC22 asphalt tyres since last season, however, the challenge that Corsica&rsquo;s continuous corners provide can be pretty tough. Our soft and hard compounds should be suitable to cover the mix of conditions expected.&rdquo;Tue, 03 Apr 2018 11:15:00 +0000DMACK Launches New Rally Raid Tyre At Dubai Bajahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-new-rally-raid-tyre-at-dubai-bajahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-new-rally-raid-tyre-at-dubai-bajaDMACK&rsquo;s latest motorsport tyre will head straight into international competition this weekend on some tough desert roads in the Middle East. The all-new rally raid tyre, DMACK X-Raid Surfer, will be launched at this weekend&rsquo;s Dubai International Baja &ndash; round two of the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies.&nbsp;The new tyre has been specifically designed to tackle tough desert conditions commonly seen on rally raid, baja and cross-country events. The tread pattern has been devised to find maximum grip in sand and loose gravel conditions while the construction offers both high-speed stability and is reinforced with Kevlar for maximum strength and puncture resistance.&nbsp;The X-Raid Surfer comes in two compounds, hard and soft. It will be the soft compound which will be used predominantly this weekend as Czech driver Martin Prokop tackles the Dubai desert in his Ford F150.&nbsp;Prokop lies second in the championship after finishing runner-up on the opening round in Russia. He used a special winter version of the X-Raid Surfer which was studded with nearly 600 metal pins to bite into the ice, snow and frozen roads.&nbsp;However, the conditions this weekend could not be more different. The Baja is the oldest motorsport event in the United Arab Emirates and features nearly 200km of competitive stages on both Friday and Saturday. It&rsquo;s the first of three consecutive desert events.&nbsp;Tyre InformationDMACK X-Raid SurferSize: 245/80R16Compounds: hard (H) and soft (S).Application: Off-road, cross-country and rally raid events.&nbsp;Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We provided Martin with a winter version of the X-Raid Surfer and he delivered a fantastic podium on the opening round. However, this is the competitive debut for the traditional hot gravel version of the tyre and the Dubai International Baja will certainly provide some challenging conditions to really test the latest competition tyre in the expanding DMACK range.&rdquo;Thu, 08 Mar 2018 16:06:00 +0000DMACK’s Proven Gravel Package Ready For WRC Actionhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack--s-proven-gravel-package-ready-for-wrc-actionhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack--s-proven-gravel-package-ready-for-wrc-actionAfter two winter events kicked off the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship, it&rsquo;s time for DMACK to roll-out its well-established range of gravel tyres for round three of the series at Rally Mexico next week.&nbsp;Winning stages on seven of the nine gravel rallies in 2017, DMACK&rsquo;s tread patterns and gravel compounds have already proven their ability, helping to seal the firm&rsquo;s first overall win at Wales Rally GB in November. Since then, the DMG+22 tyre for R5 cars has been upgraded even further.&nbsp;2017 PerformanceDespite the disadvantage of running first on the road after receiving a time penalty for an engine change, Elfyn Evans powered his Fiesta WRC to three stage victories in Mexico last year and finished ninth overall.&nbsp;Tyre OverviewThe DMG+2 tyre, nominated for WRC cars, returns for 2018 using the medium GH34 and soft GS84 compounds.&nbsp;WRC2 and R5 cars will use the DMG+22, which also benefits from the same run-flat construction that was used in 2017 across the WRC car range. Compounds available are the hard GH44, which has been nominated for Mexico, and soft GS64.&nbsp;Nominated TyresList 1 for R5 and WRC 2DMACK 205/65R15 DMG+22, GH44 hard (22) and GS64 soft (16)Maximum allowed: 22&nbsp;List 2 for WRCDMACK 215/65R15 DMG+2, GH34 hard (24) and GS84 soft (16)Maximum allowed: 24&nbsp;This year shakedown tyres are not included in the overall event allocation.&nbsp;Event InformationBased: Leon, MexicoStart: Leon, 18:15 on Thursday 8 MarchFinish: Leon, 14:30 on Sunday 11 MarchStages: 22 stages, 344.49kmLongest stage: SS3/7 El Chocolate 31.44km&nbsp;Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;After two specialist winter events, we&rsquo;ve got the first gravel rally of the season next weekend. DMACK gravel tyres have proven they can compete with the best throughout 2017, scoring fastest stage times on seven of the nine gravel rallies. We&rsquo;ve made a few improvements to the WRC2 tyre, giving it the same run-flat construction as the WRC tyre, to edge the performance forward even further.&rdquo;Fri, 02 Mar 2018 15:05:00 +0000DMACK Celebrates First Cross Country Podium With New Tyrehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-celebrates-first-cross-country-podium-with-new-tyrehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-celebrates-first-cross-country-podium-with-new-tyreDMACK&rsquo;s all-new cross country tyre made a wonderful winter debut when Martin Prokop used it in studded form to finish second on Baja Russia yesterday &ndash; opening round of the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Rallies.&nbsp;Remarkably, the new X-Raid Surfer tyre claimed a podium on its competition debut, also notching up DMACK&rsquo;s first ever top-three result in the specialist discipline of cross country.&nbsp;In addition to it being the first run-out for the new product, it was also being used in studded form &ndash; equipped with nearly 600 metal pins to bite into the frozen roads of the Northern Forest Rally close to Russia&rsquo;s border with Finland.&nbsp;Czech pilot Prokop, driving a Ford F150 Evo, was beaten only by current world champion Nasser Al Attiyah after the three-day event. Prokop holds second in the championship before the next round, held in completely different conditions in the deserts of Dubai.&nbsp;The new X-Raid Surfer has been specifically designed for long-distance competitive stages, is available in two compounds and has a construction reinforced with Kevlar to improve strength and puncture resistance.&nbsp;DMACK was also present at round two of the FIA World Rally Championship, where competitors at Rally Sweden used the upgraded DMG-ICE2 studded gravel tyre. Swede Fredrik Ahlin had been setting solid times before retiring with a broken radiator and reigning Junior WRC champion Nil Solans finished tenth in RC2 after improving well on his first attempt at the snowy stages.&nbsp;Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Our strategy this year was to expand our commercial operations, move into other disciplines and extend our product range. We&rsquo;ve made an exceptional transition into the World Cross Country Cup, scoring a podium with a new tyre that&rsquo;s fresh out of the factory. We&rsquo;ve got a few tests planned ahead of the next round in Dubai, but congratulations to Martin for a fantastic result in Russia.&rdquo;Mon, 19 Feb 2018 16:07:00 +0000DMACK Studded Tyre Upgraded For Swedish Snowhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-studded-tyre-upgraded-for-swedish-snowhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-studded-tyre-upgraded-for-swedish-snowArmed with revamped, studded snow tyres, DMACK will tackle one of the FIA World Rally Championship&rsquo;s most specialist events next week at Rally Sweden. The firm&rsquo;s upgraded winter tyres, DMG-ICE2, have a new construction and a stiffer tread compound, which have been proven to deliver enhanced performance and stud retention.&nbsp;The new specification has already triumphed, helping Fredrik Ahlin to take overall victory on the opening round of the Swedish Rally Championship last weekend.&nbsp;2017 PerformanceThe new pattern DMG-ICE2 was introduced last year and immediately Elfyn Evans was on the pace in his Fiesta WRC. He finished sixth overall on Rally Sweden, equalling his best-ever finish on the snowy event.&nbsp;Tyre OverviewThe DMG-ICE2 has a directional tread pattern and is available in one compound for Rally Sweden. That compound has been stiffened and the construction upgraded to deliver more high-speed precision, traction and performance. Winter tyres for WRC must fit on the same size wheel rim as gravel tyres.&nbsp;Each tyre holds 384 metal pins, with a maximum length of 20mm and weighing 4g. There is no limit on the amount of stud protruding from the tyre but only 20 per decimeter are permitted. The method of stud insertion, including drilling method and adhesive, has also been improved with the aim of increasing stud retention even further.&nbsp;Nominated TyresList 1 for R5 and WRC 2DMACK 205/65R15 DMG-ICE2 studdedMaximum allowed: 22&nbsp;List 2 for WRCDMACK 205/65R15 DMG-ICE2 studdedMaximum allowed: 24&nbsp;This year shakedown tyres are not included in the overall event allocation.&nbsp;Event InformationBased: Torsby, SwedenStart: Karlstad, 20.04 on Thursday 15 FebruaryFinish: Torsby, 13.00 on Sunday 18 FebruaryStages: 19 stages, 314.25kmLongest stage: SS3/6 Svullrya 24.88km&nbsp;Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Our winter tyre performed exceptionally well last year at Rally Sweden and immediately after that event finished we started testing for 2018. It&rsquo;s fair to say we&rsquo;ve made some significant improvements and the conditions are looking extremely favourable this year, so the stage is set for an enjoyable event.&rdquo;Fri, 09 Feb 2018 16:26:00 +0000Monte Podium For Top DMACK Driverhttp://dmacktyres.com/monte-podium-for-top-dmack-driverhttp://dmacktyres.com/monte-podium-for-top-dmack-driverDrivers using DMACK tyres posted a number of solid performances on the treacherous Rallye Monte Carlo as the company&rsquo;s upgraded winter tyres delivered some impressive improvements from 2017. DMACK supplied drivers across a number of classes including WRC, R5 and, for the first time, RGT.&nbsp;Pick of the crop was Swiss driver Olivier Burri who powered his Skoda Fabia R5 to a podium place in the RC2 category for R5 machinery. Consistently at the front of the R5 pack all weekend, he finished 12th overall, third in RC2 and ahead of all but the WRC2 winner.&nbsp;Italian Manuel Villa tackled the tough opening round of the FIA World Rally Championship in a Ford Fiesta WRC and finished 16th overall after a consistent performance across the wintery weekend.&nbsp;Countryman Andrea Nucita set a stunning fourth fastest time on Saturday morning&rsquo;s snowy stage nine, beating many WRC drivers. However, after holding a strong lead in the RGT category, he retired his Fiat 124 Abarth with electrical problems later in the day.&nbsp;Competitors primarily used the DMT-RC22 asphalt tyre in both soft S6+ and extra soft XS6+ compounds, but also bolted on the studded DMT-ICE2 winter tyre for the ice and snow-covered stages during Saturday. Both tyres had benefitted from design upgrades to boost performance from last season.&nbsp;Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Our strategy for 2018 is to focus on developing our customer base in WRC and Monte certainly started the season off well. With a diverse range of competitors across a number of classes, our products demonstrated just how well suited they are to all car groups.&nbsp;&ldquo;Last year we scored three stage wins, two of which were on snow, so it was fantastic to see another top-four overall time this year again. Well done to Olivier Burri for a fantastic podium in R5, ahead of nearly all the WRC2 runners.&rdquo;Mon, 29 Jan 2018 13:59:00 +0000DMACK Joins TER As Official Tyre Partnerhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-joins-ter-as-official-tyre-partnerhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-joins-ter-as-official-tyre-partnerMotorsport tyre manufacturer DMACK has joined forces with one of Europe’s most exciting rally championships, becoming ‘Official Tyre Partner’ to the Tour European Rally (TER). The British tyre firm down-sized its WRC programme this season to concentrate on both product development and core sales, and the partnership with TER will allow it to connect with rally competitors across a broad range of abilities and vehicle classes. The TER has quickly grown in strength and popularity since its launch in 2016 and features six classic rallies across Europe – all favourites with rally drivers and teams. The championship is renowned for delivering hassle-free competition on some of Europe’s definitive rallying stages. Its competitor-friendly approach includes refunded registration fees and an impressive TV package covering over 100 countries, with footage provided free-of-charge to teams for promotional use. The 2018 calendar features a number of exciting new events and will be released along with championship regulations later this week. DMACK will be supporting the series with significant prize initiatives and tyre incentives for competitors across all TER categories, including a new DMACK TER2 Cup for aspiring young drivers. Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “Our strategy this year is to focus on expanding both the DMACK sales network and our customer base, becoming official tyre partner to the TER allows us to connect with an important range of competitors. “The championship truly has cost-effective competition at heart and the organisers continue to offer fantastic events that are firm favourites with drivers alongside an impressive TV package. Our products are the perfect match for those rallies and we will soon have news of some significant prizes and incentives for competitors.” Luca Grilli, Tour European Rally organiser, said: “We are delighted to welcome DMACK to the TER - Tour European Rally. Their support to our series will allow teams and drivers to benefit from a world class product and service, providing both them and the TER with an important opportunity to grow further. As with all the TER events and partners, the agreement with DMACK is a long-term partnership and we wish to work together to reach important goals.”Tue, 23 Jan 2018 09:35:00 +0000DMACK Launches Upgraded Tyres For Eighth WRC Seasonhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-upgraded-tyres-for-eighth-wrc-seasonhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-upgraded-tyres-for-eighth-wrc-seasonDMACK begins its eighth season in the FIA World Rally Championship next week with one of the sport’s most iconic events – Rallye Monte Carlo. Once again DMACK and Michelin are the only two tyre manufacturers who have homologated products for tyre lists one and two – allowing them to supply both WRC and R5 cars. With a completely new range of upgraded tyres for the 2018 season, DMACK is aiming to build on last year’s success where it scored stage wins on eight events and clinched its first overall victory. 2017 PerformanceLast season DMACK took its first-ever WRC asphalt stage victory on Monte Carlo and Elfyn Evans eventually stormed to the top of the time sheets on three stages: SS10 and 12 using studded winter tyres and SS13 with the extra soft compound asphalt tyre. He finished sixth overall to set DMACK’s best result on the event. Tyre OverviewEvery DMACK tyre for 2018 features performance upgrades and four different tyres are permitted next week. The standard asphalt tyre DMT-RC22 is available in two compounds, soft S6+ and extra soft XS6+ - this is the only event where the extra soft compound is used. The DMT-RC22 benefits from an improved construction this year. The DMT-ICE2 winter tyre features an upgraded compound and comes in un-studded and studded forms, the studded version is equipped with 200 metal pins with 2mm protrusion. This is also the only asphalt event of the season where a wet pattern tyre is not permitted. The new DMT-ICE2 is already a winner, taking overall victory on the Rallye Hivernal de Devoluy with Olivier Burri on its competitive debut last month. Nominated TyresList 1 for R5 and WRC 2DMACK 225/40R18 DMT-RC22, soft S6+ (20) and extra soft XS6+ (16)DMACK 225/40R18 DMT-ICE2, studded (24) and un-studded (12)Maximum allowed: 37 List 2 for WRCDMACK 225/40R18 DMT-RC22, soft S6+ (20) and extra soft XS6+ (24)DMACK 225/40R18 DMT-ICE2, studded (24) and un-studded (12)Maximum allowed: 39 This year shakedown tyres are not included in the overall event allocation. Event InformationBased: Gap, FranceStart: Monte Carlo, 17.50 on Thursday 25 JanuaryFinish: Monte Carlo, 14.00 on Sunday 28 JanuaryStages: 17 stages, 388.59kmLongest stage: SS1 Thoard – Sisteron 36.69km Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “We made huge strides forward on this event in 2017, topping the timesheets on Tarmac for the first time. We are constantly progressing technically and have introduced upgrades to improve the performance again for 2018 across every single tyre. It’s a tough event but we demonstrated last year that our products have the ability to win stages on both snow and dry asphalt.”Fri, 19 Jan 2018 16:19:00 +0000DMACK Launches New World Rally Range For 2018http://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-new-world-rally-range-for-2018dmack-launches-new-world-rally-range-for-2018http://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-new-world-rally-range-for-2018dmack-launches-new-world-rally-range-for-2018• Performance upgrades across all tyre types. • WRC 2 gravel tyre to feature successful run-flat construction. • New winter asphalt tyre already an overall rally winner. • Upgrades for WRC 3 and two-wheel-drive cars. • DMACK to support key customer teams.Building on its most successful season to date, DMACK will return to the FIA World Rally Championship for its eighth successive season in 2018, with a completely revised range of tyres for all championship competitors.Despite winning stages on eight of the 13 WRC rounds this season, on asphalt, gravel and snow surfaces, the British firm has focussed on improving its products even further for 2018 with a number of important enhanced features to optimise performance on all conditions.Gravel: Gravel tyres for WRC 2 and R5 competitors will now feature a reinforced, run-flat construction, identical to the WRC tyres that took Elfyn Evans to victory on Rally GB, and be available in soft and medium-plus compounds – still maintaining the DMG+22 pattern. This offers the optimum blend of performance, durability and puncture resistance.The nominated tyres for WRC cars will revert back to the same DMG+2 pattern used in Argentina 2017, giving enhanced stability and the ability to again use the soft and medium-plus compounds which helped Evans be so competitive throughout 2017.Asphalt: Three levels of asphalt compound will be available in the DMT-RC22 pattern – hard, soft and extra soft – all with upgrades from 2017 to deliver greater performance on dry and damp asphalt. A completely new wet compound will be launched in 2018 called WXS, featuring enhanced wet grip and performance in conditions of full-wet with standing water.Monte: A new compound has been developed specifically for the Monte Carlo DMT-ICE2 winter tyre, which won three stages on the event this year, to further optimise performance on ice and snow. It is available in both studded and unstudded forms. This new tyre took overall victory on its debut last weekend – helping Olivier Burri to win the Rallye Hivernal de Devoluy by over two minutes.Sweden: A new construction for the DMG-ICE2 will deliver enhanced traction, lateral grip and stud retention on frozen gravel and ice surfaces.After equipping the 2017 WRC 3 Champion, both gravel and asphalt products for two-wheel-drive cars will also benefit from small upgrades next season.In addition to competing alongside Michelin and Pirelli as the three authorised tyre suppliers to the 2018 WRC, DMACK will also partner with key customer teams in WRC 2 and WRC 3 to ensure its products remain at the forefront of competition during next season.Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “This year was not just our most successful, it was also a key period for development. We had significant technical support on each event and that’s helped us refine our products even further, to suit conditions on each event of the WRC. As rallies change and sporting rules evolve, we continue to develop and optimise our products to offer the best possible performance for competitors using DMACK.“Although we are not running an official WRC car programme in 2018, our focus is firmly on keeping DMACK products winning in the open competition platform that the WRC offers. There will be even greater support for our customers in 2018, especially those competing in the official WRC support championships.”Tue, 19 Dec 2017 16:15:00 +0000DMACK Seals Debut WRC Victory On Home Eventhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-seals-debut-wrc-victory-on-home-eventhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-seals-debut-wrc-victory-on-home-event
Debut WRC win for DMACK, Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt.
First British tyre manufacturer to win home event for 38 years.
Breaks Michelin&rsquo;s dominance of 92 consecutive WRC victories.
Tom Cave third in WRC 2 and Enrico Brazzoli second in WRC 3.
After seven years and 88 events, DMACK has won its first FIA World Rally Championship event &ndash; on its home round at Dayinsure Wales Rally GB. Elfyn Evans became the first Welsh driver to win the UK&rsquo;s round of the championship after he and co-driver Dan Barritt dominated the demanding event &ndash; leading from start to finish and winning by 37.3 seconds.An overwhelming performance helped their M-Sport World Rally Team secure the 2017 WRC Manufacturer Championship while the DMACK victory brought Michelin&rsquo;s run of 92 consecutive wins to a halt.The event was a true British success story. DMACK&rsquo;s British-made tyres were fitted to M-Sport&rsquo;s British-built Ford Fiesta WRC for a British crew to win their home event &ndash; the first time in 17 years.The secret to the rally-winning performance was DMACK&rsquo;s new DMG+22 gravel tyres, which were introduced for the last three rounds of the 2017 season. Successfully gambling on cooler conditions in Wales, DMACK developed a more open tread pattern tyre and nominated two new evolution compounds, the soft GS84 and the medium GH34.Building on a dominant performance in 2016, when Ott T&auml;nak finished second overall and set 12 fastest times on Rally GB with DMACK, Evans was untouchable across the weekend.DMACK&rsquo;s gravel tyres were the class of the field, coping remarkably with the varying road conditions in the demanding mid Wales forests. They found rally-leading grip and traction in the muddy sections and slippery gravel to give Evans the advantage.DMACK drivers were also on the podium in WRC 2 and WRC 3, using the GS62B compound tyre. Local star Tom Cave was third in WRC 2, beating many championship regulars, while David Bogie was fourth, and Enrico Brazzoli was second in WRC 3.Rally GB was based in Deeside, outside Chester, and featured 21 competitive stages across mid and north Wales before finishing this afternoon in Llandudno.Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been working towards this result for seven years and to take a debut victory on our home round of the championship is a special feeling. DMACK is a small but hugely committed team and reaching this achievement has taken an enormous amount of effort. Elfyn and Dan have delivered a remarkable drive this weekend and it&rsquo;s an honour to have played a part in M-Sport&rsquo;s championship success.&rdquo;Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a very special day today, to take my first ever WRC win on home soil is something I could only have dreamed of. To see everyone who has supported me over the years at the end of the final stage was incredible. We knew from the shakedown that we had a competitive package with the DMACK tyres and Fiesta so I just wanted to make the most of it.&rdquo;Sun, 29 Oct 2017 18:00:00 +0000New DMACK Tyre Seals Top Tarmac Finish In Germanyhttp://dmacktyres.com/new-dmack-tyre-seals-top-tarmac-finish-in-germanyhttp://dmacktyres.com/new-dmack-tyre-seals-top-tarmac-finish-in-germany&bull; Best-ever Tarmac result in WRC.&bull; Much-improved performance from new Tarmac tyres.&bull; Local star Tannert wins Junior WRC and WRC 3.&bull; Solans crowned WRC 3 world champion with DMACK*.
DMACK took its best-ever result on a Tarmac round of the FIA World Rally Championship after introducing new hard compound tyres for ADAC Rallye Deutschland. Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt finished sixth in their M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta WRC demonstrating a much-improved performance from the new rubber.
DMACK played its asphalt joker before the event to introduce a new H6+BB hard compound of its DMT-RC22 tyre for WRC competitors and H6+B for WRC 2. The performance was a significant step forward from the previous asphalt round in Corsica, allowing Evans to push harder than before.
He had delivered a strong drive over the weekend&rsquo;s tricky conditions. Heavy rain on Friday turned the vineyard stages into slippery, water-soaked tracks and Evans used the wet pattern DMT-WET tyre to master the conditions. As the roads dried during Saturday, he used a mix of the soft S6+ and new hard tyre to climb up to fourth overall.
But a minor overshoot and a stall on the first stage this morning saw him drop around seven seconds and, struggling for grip over the final stages, he slipped back to sixth.
It was a positive WRC 2 debut for Jon Armstrong and Noel O&rsquo;Sullivan on the first of two prize drives from last year&rsquo;s Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. They increased their pace over the weekend and eventually set a fastest time on the penultimate stage today &ndash; on just their third-ever day at the wheel of the Fiesta R5.
In the same category Quentin Gilbert and Renaul Jamoul took their Skoda Fabia to a fine fourth place overall after an impressive weekend.
DMACK drivers Nil Solans and Miki Ibanez secured the FIA WRC 3 world championship title* using DMACK&rsquo;s 16&rdquo; asphalt tyres. They finished second behind Junior WRC winner Julius Tannert, also on DMACK tyres, to collect enough points to become world champions.
Rallye Deutschland was a tough, Tarmac challenge after torrential rain on Friday turned the tricky vineyard stages into water-logged tracks. The event offered three different stage types, from narrow vineyard tracks to open country roads and the abrasive tests through the infamous Baumholder military range.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Overall it was a good performance and a solid improvement, especially in Panzerplatte, with the new hard compound tyre. It&rsquo;s a little bit disappointing to lose fourth place as we had a positive test before the rally which showed we could be on the pace. Although we have made significant improvement we still need to continue the development to match Michelin, whose performance here in the wet was a surprise.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t the perfect weekend but we pushed as hard as possible through every single stage. There were times when things were working really well and it felt very good, but the stages had many surface changes and we struggled on some of them. We&rsquo;ve made good progress since Corsica and that&rsquo;s something positive to build on.&rdquo;
*subject to official confirmation of the final results by the FIA.Sun, 20 Aug 2017 13:40:00 +0000Ten BRC Wins For DMACK After One-Two In Ulsterhttp://dmacktyres.com/ten-brc-wins-for-dmack-after-one-two-in-ulsterhttp://dmacktyres.com/ten-brc-wins-for-dmack-after-one-two-in-ulster&bull; Keith Cronin takes second BRC victory of 2017 after leading from start to finish.&bull; One-two result for DMACK drivers.&bull; DMACK&rsquo;s tenth consecutive BRC win.&bull; Fredrik Ahlin holds 32-point championship lead.
Demonstrating its continued dominance of UK rallying, DMACK recorded its tenth consecutive victory in the MSA British Rally Championship after Ireland&rsquo;s Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin won the Ulster Rally today &ndash; their second victory of the season.
In their M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5, the pair led from start to finish to win by 55.4 seconds &ndash; keeping their title hopes alive and ensuring DMACK drivers were unbeaten on the last ten events. Cronin won half of the 14 competitive stages across slippery country Tarmac roads around host city Derry to easily fend off challenges from a number of other drivers on rival tyre brands.
Holding a 17-second lead at the half-way mark, Cronin lifted the pace to move over a minute ahead, then cruised home to the finish ramp this afternoon.
Fredrik Ahlin and Torstein Eriksen in their CA1 Sport-prepared Skoda Fabia R5 maintained their grip on the overall championship race after a very strong second place. They finished over a minute ahead of their nearest rival to collect a strong haul of points and edge ever closer to a maiden BRC championship title.
Ahlin now has a 32-point lead with just the double-scoring Rally Isle of Man to come.
Both crews used DMACK&rsquo;s DMT-RC22 extra soft XS6+ and new wet-patterned DMT-WET during the weekend, which delivered wet, muddy and slippery conditions.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;This has been a special result as once again the drivers and teams we&rsquo;ve worked so hard with over the season have proved unbeatable, even against all the other major tyre manufacturers. Keith deserved the victory and both he and Fredrik delivered the perfect result on a notoriously difficult event. Ten consecutive unbeaten BRC rallies is a memorable moment for us and our partner teams.&rdquo;
Keith Cronin, Ulster Rally winner, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s great to get another victory as it still means we have an outside shot at the championship. We had a good test which meant I was able to get the car set up to my liking. The rally was tough with the weather changing a lot, but we managed to make the right tyre calls when we needed to set the times so it all worked out perfectly.&rdquo;Sat, 19 Aug 2017 19:00:00 +0000Two New DMACK Tarmac Tyres Launched For Germanyhttp://dmacktyres.com/two-new-dmack-tarmac-tyres-launched-for-germanyhttp://dmacktyres.com/two-new-dmack-tarmac-tyres-launched-for-germany&bull; New hard option tyres launched for WRC and WRC 2.&bull; Jon Armstrong takes up first WRC 2 prize drive.&bull; Round five of DMACK-backed FIA Junior WRC.
DMACK will launch two new hard compound tyres at next week&rsquo;s ADAC Rallye Deutschland after playing its asphalt joker for the season. New versions of the DMT-RC22 will be available for both WRC and WRC 2 competitors as DMACK continues to invest in technical development and targets increased Tarmac performance.
Leading WRC runners Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt come to Germany fresh from their second runner-up finish of the season at Rally Finland last month. Evans is a fan of the tricky Tarmac event, with a couple of top-five finishes in the past, and is searching for another strong result in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta WRC.
He will use the new DMACK DMT-RC22 H6+BB hard compound tyre as the main option next week, but will also have the soft option S6+ available for cold or damp conditions. To boost safety in extreme wet conditions, the heavily treaded DMT-WET will also be an option &ndash; a maximum of 36 tyres are allowed over the weekend.
WRC 2 competitors, like Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy prize-winners Jon Armstrong and Noel O&rsquo;Sullivan, will also benefit from a new hard tyre. The H6+B will be their primary option in Germany, alongside the soft S6+ and wet pattern tyre &ndash; they have a maximum usage of 34 tyres.
Armstrong, from Northern Ireland, will take to the wheel of his Ford Fiesta R5, prepared and run by M-Sport, in Germany and Spain &ndash; his two prize drive events from last season.
Rally Deutschland is renowned for three distinct surfaces and changeable weather. Crews face narrow and dirty vineyard lanes, wide country roads and the abrasive surfaces of the Baumholder military area &ndash; lined with the famous Hinkelstein rally-ending concrete blocks.
The weather can turn roads from dry to soaking wet in seconds and corner-cutting drags mud onto the roads. Tyre choice can be difficult and sometimes a compromise based on the surfaces and weather forecast.
The rally takes up a new base in Bostalsee, around 60km from previous host town Trier, and starts with a super-special stage in Saarbrucken on Thursday night. The longest stage, 41.97km Panzerplatte with its numerous junctions, is run twice on Saturday.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve worked hard since Corsica to develop new hard option tyres and are confident that the compounds introduced next week are a significant step forward. Germany can be a tricky event with tyre decisions critical, however, I believe we are in a strong position for all conditions next week.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m looking forward to Rallye Deutschland and, after the pre-event test, am confident that we&rsquo;ve made good progress since Corsica. I enjoy the challenge of this rally and quite like the difficult stages, so we will be pushing as hard as we can next week.&rdquo;
Tyre Information: List 1 (WRC 2) Tyre: DMACK 225/40R18 DMT-RC22 Compounds: S6+ soft (22), H6+B hard (30) and W5+ wet (8) Maximum allocation: 34
Tyre Information: List 2 (WRC) Tyre: DMACK 225/40R18 DMT-RC22 Compounds: S6+ soft (24), H6+BB hard (32) and W5+ wet (8) Maximum allocation: 36
Event Information Based: Bostalsee, Germany Start: Saarbrucken, 18.58 on Thursday 17 August Finish: Bostalsee, 13.00 on Sunday 20 August Stages: 21 stages, 309.17km Longest stage: SS10+15 Panzerplattte 41.97kmFri, 11 Aug 2017 14:35:00 +0000DMACK Tops 50 With Super Second In Finlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-tops-50-with-super-second-in-finlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-tops-50-with-super-second-in-finland&bull; Elfyn Evans claims DMACK&rsquo;s 50th WRC stage win.&bull; Second WRC podium of the season.&bull; Stage wins on six of nine events this year.&bull; DMACK cars on WRC, WRC 2, WRC 3 and Junior WRC podiums.&bull; Second and third in WRC 2 on new spec gravel tyres.&bull; Nicolas Ciamin wins WRC 3 and Junior WRC.
DMACK celebrated its best-ever Finnish finish after mastering the challenge of the fastest round of the FIA World Rally Championship. In a final stage battle, Elfyn Evans finished second at Neste Rally Finland by just 0.3 seconds &ndash; scoring his and DMACK&rsquo;s best result at the prestigious, high-speed event.
In a treble celebration, DMACK claimed a double podium in WRC 2 and podium lock-outs in WRC 3 and Junior WRC. Along the way Evans and co-driver Daniel Barritt notched up DMACK&rsquo;s 50th overall stage win &ndash; all of them in M-Sport Ford Fiesta WRC cars.
With DMACK now scoring fastest times on six of the nine events this season, the result saw Evans and Barritt finish as top M-Sport World Rally Team crew, bringing home valuable points to help the team extend their lead at the top of the manufacturer championship standings.
Famed for its iconic jumps, flat-out gravel roads and blind crests, Finland&rsquo;s round of the championship is held in high esteem and is one of the biggest challenges of the series. It attracts huge numbers of fans from around the world at the spiritual home of the sport.
Despite not having a pre-event test, Evans was quickly up to speed using DMACK&rsquo;s soft compound GS62 tyre for the entire event. And, in one of the most fiercely-fought rounds yet, he moved up the leaderboard over the weekend to finish runner-up, for the second time this season, on the very last stage.
DMACK had played its joker before Finland to roll-out a new specification of gravel tyre for WRC 2 crews &ndash; and it worked perfectly. Frenchman Gilbert and UK&rsquo;s Tom Cave used both the new medium compound GH44 and soft GS62B version of the DMG+22 to finish second and third in the hotly-contested category.
Those results were backed-up by third-placed Osian Pryce, who made it three DMACK cars in the top-four on his second prize drive event, and Max Vatanen in a pair of M-Sport Fiesta R5s.
Nicolas Ciamin took a debut win in the Junior WRC category and also won the WRC 3 feeder series.
Rally Finland began on Thursday evening with the Harju stage in the centre of Jyv&auml;skyl&auml; but then crews faced a huge 16-hour day on Friday with 145km of action. Saturday saw two runs over the iconic Ouninpohja test, the longest of the rally, while four stages on Sunday finished off the hectic weekend.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It has been an incredible weekend and another milestone for DMACK on a classic rally. We have plans now to play our gravel and asphalt jokers, introducing new tyres to try and give Elfyn an advantage, still aiming for our first overall win. The results in the support categories just prove how competitive our customer tyre package is now.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;We certainly wouldn&rsquo;t have expected to be second on Friday but we got the car working better and the weather stayed dry so we were able to push hard. The battle today was fantastic and this result was important for us, DMACK and the M-Sport team.&rdquo;Sun, 30 Jul 2017 17:00:00 +0000DMACK Relishing Fast Finnish Favouritehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-relishing-fast-finnish-favouritehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-relishing-fast-finnish-favourite&bull; Fastest round of the season.&bull; New WRC 2 tyres launched in Finland.&bull; Five former DMACK Trophy runners in WRC 2.&bull; Round four of DMACK-backed FIA Junior WRC.
DMACK is looking forward to the challenge of the fastest event in the FIA World Rally Championship calendar next week when Neste Rally Finland offers some of the most exciting roads of the season.
It&rsquo;s also where DMACK&rsquo;s Ott T&auml;nak set six fastest stage times last year and it&rsquo;s hoped that the firm&rsquo;s DMG+2 gravel tyres will be able to repeat that performance on the flat-out Finnish forest roads.
The team&rsquo;s lead crew Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt were unfortunate to miss out on a pre-event test after the test car was damaged earlier in the week but they&rsquo;re aiming to push hard on the flat-out, high-commitment roads to continue their impressive run of top-times this season.
The pair have set fastest times on four rallies this year in their M-Sport Ford Fiesta WRC. They will use DMG+2 tyres primarily in the nominated GS62 soft compound but have 16 hard GH23 available as an alternative &ndash; a maximum of 28 tyres can be used over the weekend.
It&rsquo;s all change in WRC 2 as DMACK plays its gravel joker for this rally. Competitors have an upgraded version of the DMG+22 with lighter construction and a new medium compound &ndash; more suited to the remaining events of the season.
They will use GH44 medium as the primary choice with the soft GS62B also an option.
Proving its success as the WRC entry level, five former drivers from the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy will line up in WRC 2 at Finland &ndash; Tom Cave, Quentin Gilbert, Gus Greensmith, Osian Pryce and Max Vatanen.
Finland will be Pryce&rsquo;s second prize drive in a M-Sport Fiesta R5 after crashing heavily on the first day in Poland. Next week&rsquo;s event is also round four of the DMACK-backed FIA Junior WRC championship where Spain&rsquo;s Nil Solans has a 39-point lead.
Rally Finland starts on Thursday evening with the Harju stage in the centre of Jyv&auml;skyl&auml; but then crews face a huge 16-hour day on Friday with 145km of action. Saturday sees two runs over the iconic Ouninpohja test, the longest of the rally, while four stages on Sunday finish off the hectic weekend.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Our WRC tyres were very competitive in Finland last year when Ott set a string of top times and hopefully the weather will be in our favour this time. Competitors in WRC 2 will now benefit from two new compounds, providing them with a more competitive package for the remainder of the season.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;Rally Finland is a favourite with all the drivers thanks to its fantastic roads and I&rsquo;m really looking forward to the challenge. Poland&rsquo;s extreme weather conditions didn&rsquo;t favour us so hopefully we can look forward to better conditions to push hard in Finland.&rdquo;
Tyre Information: List 1 for R5 and WRC 2 DMACK Grippa 205/65R15 DMG+22 First choice: GH44 hard compound (26) Second choice: GS62B soft compound (16) Maximum allowed: 26
Tyre Information: List 2 for WRC DMACK Grippa 215/65R15 DMG+2 First choice: GS62 soft compound (28) Second choice: GH23 hard compound (16) Maximum allowed: 28
Tyre Information: Junior WRC Tyre: DMACK Grippa 175/70R15 DMG+22 Compound: GH43 medium (22) Maximum allocation: 22
Event Information Based: Jyv&auml;skyl&auml;, Finland Start: Jyv&auml;skyl&auml;, 18.42 on Thursday 27 July Finish: Jyv&auml;skyl&auml;, 15.00 on Sunday 2 July Stages: 25 stages, 314.20km Longest stage: SS16+19 Ouninpohja 24.38kmFri, 21 Jul 2017 14:00:00 +0000DMACK Launches New WRC 2 Tyre In Finlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-new-wrc-2-tyre-in-finlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-new-wrc-2-tyre-in-finland&bull; DMACK plays joker to upgrade WRC 2 tyres.&bull; Two new compounds, suited to remaining 2017 events.&bull; Construction improvements to boost performance.&bull; Four former DMACK Trophy competitors will use the new tyres in Finland.
DMACK will unveil upgraded versions of its DMG+22 gravel tyre at this month&rsquo;s Neste Rally Finland after playing its joker for list one tyres suitable for R5 and WRC 2 cars. The move will see the introduction of two new performance compounds, more suited to the remaining events in 2017, with some specific construction tweaks.
The new compounds will be GS62B soft and GH44 hard and have been developed to give DMACK competitors an advantage on the final four gravel rallies of the season. The new hard option is a medium compound and is significantly softer than the current hard tyre which was designed to cover hot events such as Sardinia.
Both the new soft and hard options benefit from a lighter weight construction, reducing the weight by around 1kg to enhance performance without losing puncture resistance and structural integrity.
The new GH44 has been nominated as the main choice in Finland, with competitors having the additional option of a maximum of 16 GS62B tyres.
Among the DMACK WRC 2 runners in Finland are four former competitors from the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy &ndash; Tom Cave (Hyundai), Quentin Gilbert (Skoda), Osian Pryce (Ford) and Max Vatanen (Ford) &ndash; demonstrating just how valuable the series was in helping young drivers to make the next step in their careers.
The FIA&rsquo;s joker system allows tyre manufacturers in the FIA World Rally Championship to homologate a new specification tyre once per season. The new variant must still offer two different compounds with the same tread pattern and construction.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We are continually looking at ways to evolve our products by increasing their performance potential and the new compounds are more suited to the remaining events this season. The construction upgrades and new hard compound will, I believe, provide our drivers with an even more competitive product for gravel rallies.&rdquo;Fri, 14 Jul 2017 11:09:00 +0000Ahlin Takes Third Victory On Dual Surface Eventhttp://dmacktyres.com/ahlin-takes-third-victory-on-dual-surface-eventhttp://dmacktyres.com/ahlin-takes-third-victory-on-dual-surface-event&bull; Fredrik Ahlin takes third BRC victory of 2017.&bull; Retakes lead of MSA British Rally Championship.&bull; Nine consecutive wins for DMACK.&bull; Only tyre company to win mixed-surface Nicky Grist Stages.
Fredrik Ahlin and Torstein Eriksen moved back into the lead of the MSA British Rally Championship after winning the Nicky Grist Stages today &ndash; making it nine consecutive overall victories for DMACK drivers in the series.
The Scandinavian pair, in their CA1-Sport Skoda Fabia R5, took a 47.5 second victory on the mixed-surface event &ndash; their third win of the season. The only round of the year to be run on both gravel and asphalt surfaces, Ahlin used the full range of DMACK tyres during the Builth Wells-based event in Wales.
With dry conditions creating huge dust clouds on Saturday&rsquo;s gravel stages, running first on the road proved an advantage for Welsh duo Osian Pryce and Dale Furniss in their Spencer Sport Ford Fiesta R5. Making the most of their local knowledge and clear vision, they won five of the eight stages to maintain a 19.3 second overnight lead.
Using DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 gravel tyre in GH43 medium compound, Ahlin was quickest on the remaining three stages to hold a solid second, with four DMACK runners in the top-five after the opening day.
With an extended end of day service allowing teams sufficient time to change cars to Tarmac specification, competitors set off to tackle the tricky asphalt roads of the Epynt military range.
Ireland&rsquo;s Keith Cronin in his M-Sport Fiesta R5 was expected to mount an asphalt attack but, despite going fastest on stage 10, he went off the road just two tests later and retired. The same stage also claimed rally leader Pryce. Ahlin had slashed Pryce&rsquo;s advantage to just eight seconds and now found himself with a healthy lead.
Using the soft S6+ compound initially and switching to M6+ medium, Ahlin extended the gap to nearly a minute before controlling the lead to the finish. His victory means DMACK is the only tyre company to have ever won the popular mixed-surface event.
Cameron Davies was the overnight leader in the Junior category using DMACK's rally-winning R2 tyres but a failed water pump caused damage to his Peugeot's engine and he was forced out.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;This was always going to be a tough event as competitors had to deal with both surfaces over the weekend. However, Fredrik and Torstein managed the challenge better than anyone else. They used our latest products to take stage wins on both gravel and asphalt, demonstrating their, and DMACK&rsquo;s, adaptability to the range of surfaces and conditions.&rdquo;
Fredrik Ahlin, Nicky Grist Stages winner, said: &ldquo;It was a really strong weekend for us and great to take our third win to move back into the championship lead. We struggled with road position and dust on the first day but the car was fantastic today. After the morning stages, we moved to the medium DMACK tyre and made a few tweaks to the set-up and it was just great to drive. After opening the gap, we controlled it to the end.&rdquo;Mon, 10 Jul 2017 08:11:00 +0000http://dmacktyres.com/news-4http://dmacktyres.com/news-4Fri, 07 Jul 2017 08:59:00 +0000Poland Performance Sees DMACK Top On Five Eventshttp://dmacktyres.com/poland-performance-sees-dmack-top-on-five-eventshttp://dmacktyres.com/poland-performance-sees-dmack-top-on-five-events• DMACK leads third WRC round in 2017.• Fastest times on five events this season.• Nil Solans wins round three of Junior WRC and WRC 3.• Quentin Gilbert nets podium in WRC 2.
DMACK celebrated scoring fastest times on five different rallies this season after Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt were unbeaten on three stages of this weekend’s Orlen Rally Poland.
The Brits were early leaders at round eight of the FIA World Rally Championship after winning the opening super-special test on Thursday evening – making it the third rally this year that DMACK has led. Last year’s edition was the first WRC event where a DMACK car led overall.
For the second time this season, Evans scored manufacturer points for the M-Sport World Rally Team in his Ford Fiesta WRC and took more stage wins than both his team-mates.
DMACK’s DMG+2 GS62 soft compound tyre came out on top on all three Mikolajki Arena tests but when the torrential rain turned sandy roads into mud-baths on Friday morning, Evans’ running position further down the order meant he was disadvantaged with deteriorating road conditions.
The DMG+2 tread pattern is more suited to dry conditions and struggled to clear the thick mud on Friday, with all drivers reporting extreme conditions and severe lack of grip.
But Evans was able to improve his pace when the rain stopped on Saturday and roads dried a little. He set some better times and was still the driver to beat on the run through the super-special every day – eventually finishing the event eighth overall.
A huge thunderstorm cancelled the ceremonial start in Mikolajki on Thursday afternoon and, apart from a few hours on Saturday, the unrelenting rain created treacherous conditions. Standing water, mud and soft sandy roads delivered constantly changing grip on some of the fastest stages of the season.
Continuing their unbeaten run, Spain’s Nil Solans and Miki Ibanez made it three wins in a row in the FIA Junior WRC – they were also overall winners in WRC 3 to extend their lead in both championships.
In WRC 2, it was an event to forget for last year’s Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy winners Osian Pryce and Dale Furniss after a huge accident saw them retire their Ford Fiesta R5 on the first main stage. However, Quentin Gilbert and Renaud Jamoul secured a podium in their Fabia R5 using DMACK’s DMG+22 tyres.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “The wet weather and extreme conditions didn’t suit our tyre strategy for the event but it was still positive to set more fastest times and lead again in Poland. We’ve got a busy few weeks ahead, working on options to play our joker, possibly for Rally Finland.”
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: “We didn’t want extreme conditions this weekend, but that’s exactly what we got and we’ve just had to manage as best we can. It’s been really tricky out there and the inconsistent grip levels made it really difficult to judge. Now we focus on the next few events and our aim in Finland is certainly to be back at the front.”
Osian Pryce, DMACK WRC 2 driver, said: “I had this opportunity and it didn’t end the way I wanted it to, but we will move onwards and upwards from this. That doesn’t mean to say I’m not sorry, for DMACK and M-Sport and every single person who put their effort into making an amazing rally car for me. Thankfully for Dale and I, this fantastic team made a really strong car that saved us in the biggest crash of our lives.”Mon, 03 Jul 2017 08:03:00 +0000DMACK Tarmac Victory As Cronin Wins In Belgiumhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-tarmac-victory-as-cronin-wins-in-belgiumhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-tarmac-victory-as-cronin-wins-in-belgium&bull; Keith Cronin wins round four of BRC in Belgium.&bull; His first BRC victory since 2012.&bull; Led for all but one stage to take eighth consecutive wins for DMACK.&bull; Third different DMACK driver to win in 2017.
DMACK continued its dominance of the MSA British Rally Championship after Ireland&rsquo;s Keith Cronin and Mikie Galvin took overall victory on round four of the championship at the Ypres Rally in Belgium this weekend.
Triple BRC champion Cronin steered his M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5 to a one minute 27-second victory after winning eight of the 20 special stages on tricky asphalt roads. He led for all but one stage and controlled the event from the front to take BRC honours for the first time since 2012.
The result allowed DMACK to maintain its winning run of eight consecutive BRC victories.
Osian Pryce and Dales Furniss finished third after a consistent performance all weekend while Fredrik Ahlin and Torstein Eriksen, leaders for one stage on Friday evening before sliding off the road, climbed back to sixth after setting eight fastest times. Drivers using DMACK tyres won all but four stages.
The 259-km route was one of the toughest challenges of the season with many drivers getting caught out on the slippery Belgian roads. The smooth asphalt stages featured many corners with deep cuts where drivers searched to find the fastest line and the alien conditions were challenging to many of the UK drivers.
Competitors used a mix of the latest soft S6+ and hard H6+ compounds of DMACK&rsquo;s DMT-RC22 tyre &ndash; which was ultra-competitive on asphalt. The iconic event held around Ypres started on Friday with drivers tackling eight speed tests. It came to a conclusion tonight in the town&rsquo;s historic square after a full day of competition.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Well done to Keith, Mikie and M-Sport, they&rsquo;ve driven a great event and controlled the pace well. It&rsquo;s been a great opportunity for us to evaluate the performance of our new asphalt tyres and they&rsquo;ve really exceeded expectations on a tough rally.&rdquo;
Keith Cronin, Ypres Rally winner, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s fantastic to finally get a win this season. The stage times were good on Friday and today was a different rally, we had to control the pace from the front. Ypres is a great event, the atmosphere and fans make it a special place, it was right for the BRC to come here.&rdquo;Mon, 26 Jun 2017 07:42:00 +0000DMACK Aims For Pole Position In Flat-Out Racehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-aims-for-pole-position-in-flat-out-racehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-aims-for-pole-position-in-flat-out-race&bull; Rally Poland was the first WRC event led by DMACK.&bull; Soft compound tyres are main choice.&bull; WRC 2 prize drive for DMACK Trophy winner Osian Pryce.&bull; Round three of DMACK-backed FIA Junior WRC.
DMACK returns to Orlen Rally Poland with fond memories from last season when Ott T&auml;nak scored nine fastest stage times and became the first driver on DMACK tyres to lead a FIA World Rally Championship event.
Since then, the company&rsquo;s gravel tyres have been upgraded even further and it&rsquo;s hoped that same leading performance will be present when Brits Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt line up in their Ford Fiesta WRC next week.
WRC drivers will use the DMACK DMG+2 in GS62 compound and have a maximum amount of 28 at their disposal next week. Those tyres were the perfect choice at last year&rsquo;s event &ndash; mastering the ultra high-speed Polish roads.
The traditionally soft, sandy stages have become a little more abrasive in recent years but are still expected to create significant ruts on the second pass. That means raising the ride height and making a number of suspension adjustments for the M-Sport team mechanics.
It&rsquo;s always a flat-out race in Poland. The roads are some of the fastest in the championship and tall grass lines many of the roads, impacting on visibility on the approach to corners.
The event is the first of two WRC 2 prize drives for last year&rsquo;s Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy champions Osian Pryce and Dale Furniss. They take to the wheel of a M-Sport-prepared Fiesta R5 and will use DMACK DMG+22 tyres &ndash; having 26 available.
It&rsquo;s also round three of the DMACK-backed FIA Junior WRC championship where Spain&rsquo;s Nil Solans has a 20-point lead.
Rally Poland starts on Thursday evening with the Mikolajki Super Special. Friday sees crews tackle a four-stage loop twice with the longest day of action on Saturday featuring over 150km of stages. Sunday finishes with four short tests closer to host town Mikolajki.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Rally Poland has always been a strong event for DMACK and obviously it was a landmark rally for us last season. Our tyres are suited to these stages and we know the performance is there so hopefully we can have another strong result.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;Rally Poland&rsquo;s high speeds make it an enjoyable rally and we are looking forward to next week. It&rsquo;s important to be on the pace from the start as it&rsquo;s not easy to try and make up time on those stages.&rdquo;
Osian Pryce, DMACK WRC 2 driver, said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really looking forward to the opportunity of tackling Rally Poland in a Fiesta R5 and am aiming to make the most of it. Poland is a fantastic rally, we like it and know it a little already &ndash; the high speeds make it a real challenge.&rdquo;
Tyre Information: List 1 for R5 and WRC 2 DMACK Grippa 205/65R15 DMG+22 First choice: GS62 soft compound (26) Second choice: GH23 hard compound (16) Maximum allowed: 26
Tyre Information: List 2 for WRC DMACK Grippa 215/65R15 DMG+2 First choice: GS62 soft compound (28) Second choice: GH23 hard compound (16) Maximum allowed: 28
Tyre Information: Junior WRC Tyre: DMACK Grippa 175/70R15 DMG+22 Compound: GH43 medium (22) Maximum allocation: 22
Event Information Based: Mikolajki, Poland Start: Mikolajki, 16.00 on Thursday 29 June Finish: Mikolajki, 14.30 on Sunday 2 July Stages: 23 stages, 326.64km Longest stage: SS12+16 Pozezdrze 24.28km
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&nbsp;Fri, 23 Jun 2017 13:43:00 +0000DMACK Improves As Sardinia Lays Down Tough Testhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-improves-as-sardinia-lays-down-tough-testhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-improves-as-sardinia-lays-down-tough-test&bull; Hard compound tyres much improved since last season.&bull; DMACK drivers win both Junior WRC and WRC 3.&bull; Sardinia roads provide stern hard gravel test.
DMACK overcame the demanding conditions of Rally Italia Sardegna in style this weekend with a huge improvement in performance since last year&rsquo;s event. Round seven of the FIA World Rally Championship saw some of the toughest gravel conditions of the season but the DMG+2 tyres mastered the rough, rocky tracks and abrasive roads with ease.
Brits Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt put in a strong performance but were forced to retire on Friday after a severe compression pitched them off the road and into a tree.
The M-Sport mechanics did a fantastic job of repairing the stricken Ford Fiesta WRC and Evans was able to rejoin and complete the remaining stages over the weekend.
He used both hard GH23 and soft compound GS62 tyres to set solid stage times on the island&rsquo;s formidable mountain tracks. The baking Mediterranean sun provided temperatures which were a real test for both drivers and tyres &ndash; but DMACK&rsquo;s much-improved rubber was a match for everything the rally offered.
The event was also round two of the FIA Junior World Rally Championship &ndash; where DMACK is the series partner and tyre supplier. Winners of round one Nil Solans and Miki Ibanez repeated their victory to extend their lead at the top of the championship and win the first two WRC 2 prize drives.
Drivers using DMACK tyres filled all nine places in the WRC 3 championship as well.
The event started from its base in Alghero on Thursday before a remote tyre fitting zone on Friday kicked off the real action. Friday and Saturday stages were based in the hills close to Olbia and the event finished off with four tests near Alghero today.
Former DMACK driver Ott Tanak took his debut WRC victory after an unbeatable performance all weekend.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Sardinia is one of the toughest rallies of the year with some of the most abrasive surfaces and it&rsquo;s clear to see we&rsquo;ve made significant progress from last year. Huge congratulations to Ott, it&rsquo;s fantastic to see him take his first WRC win after working so hard with us last year.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not been the result we wanted but it was good to get more feedback on the set-up and technical information on the tyres. It&rsquo;s fair to say we made some good progress. Now the focus is definitely on Poland and Finland were we can be more confident.&rdquo;Sun, 11 Jun 2017 15:00:00 +0000Sun-Soaked Sardinia To Provide Bruising Gravel Battlehttp://dmacktyres.com/sun-soaked-sardinia-to-provide-bruising-gravel-battlehttp://dmacktyres.com/sun-soaked-sardinia-to-provide-bruising-gravel-battle&bull; Hard compound tyres to be used primarily.&bull; Tough roads provide one of the biggest tests of the season.&bull; Round two of DMACK-backed FIA Junior WRC.&bull; Evans tested in Sardinia this week.
The conditions on next week&rsquo;s Rally Italia Sardegna are set to be some of the toughest of the season, with soaring temperatures, demanding roads and rugged mountain stages coming together to wage war on competitors.
Round seven of the FIA World Rally Championship on the Mediterranean island marks the half-way point of the season in sundrenched style. But the summer temperatures and baked special stages are set to be a real test for man and machine.
DMACK&rsquo;s Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt are well-aware of the event&rsquo;s challenge. Low average speeds mixed with short, sharp corners and roads littered with rocks and lined with trees mean there&rsquo;s no margin for error.
Their expertly-built M-Sport Ford Fiesta WRC can cope with the demands of the island tracks and they will predominantly use DMACK&rsquo;s hard compound GH23 tyres for the first time this season. Conditions can become rough and rutted, especially on the second pass, with sharp rocks an ever-present hazard.
The low speed roads also change the demands placed on tyres with more longitudinal stresses on the tyre carcass rather than the side forces usually experienced on gravel events.
As round two of the DMACK-backed Junior WRC championship, Rally Italia Sardegna is set to be an even greater challenge for the stars of tomorrow who tackle the event in identical Ford Fiesta R2T cars. They will be equipped with specially-reinforced hard compound DMACK gravel tyres.
The event starts from its base in Alghero on Thursday evening but has an overnight halt in Olbia on Thursday night. A remote tyre fitting zone on Friday kicks off the real action with two passes over a loop of four stages to the west of Olbia.
Saturday is the longest day with 143km of action and a 5am start, before four short stages on Sunday close to Alghero round off the weekend.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;From a tyre perspective, this is probably one of the toughest events of the season. We&rsquo;ve improved the durability of our tyres significantly since last year, so we are confident from a performance aspect. However, the conditions, especially on second pass, are some of the hardest we&rsquo;ll encounter.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;With high temperatures and the traditional rough roads, Sardinia is set to be a real challenge. From a driver&rsquo;s perspective it&rsquo;s important to be physically prepared and properly hydrated as it&rsquo;s always a hot and busy rally. Road cleaning on the first pass is an important factor so it will be interesting to see how that works out.&rdquo;
Tyre Information: List 1 for R5 and WRC 2 DMACK Grippa 205/65R15 DMG+22 First choice: GH23 hard compound (26) Second choice: GS62 soft compound (16) Maximum allowed: 26
Tyre Information: List 2 for WRC DMACK Grippa 215/65R15 DMG+2 First choice: GH23 hard compound (28) Second choice: GS62 soft compound (16) Maximum allowed: 28
Tyre Information: Junior WRC Tyre: DMACK Grippa 175/70R15 DMG+22 Compound: GH23 hard (26) Maximum allocation: 26
Event Information Based: Alghero, Sardinia Start: Alghero, 17.00 on Thursday 8 June Finish: Alghero, 13.25 on Sunday 11 June Stages: 19 stages, 312.66km Longest stage: SS11+14 Monti di Ala 28.52km
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&nbsp;Fri, 02 Jun 2017 13:30:00 +0000Double Winners As DMACK Performs In Portugalhttp://dmacktyres.com/double-winners-as-dmack-performs-in-portugalhttp://dmacktyres.com/double-winners-as-dmack-performs-in-portugal• Evans and Ostberg finish sixth and eighth.• Evans best Portugal result, scores power-stage points on last two events.• Ostberg sets two fastest stage times.• DMACK drivers win WRC Trophy and WRC 3.
DMACK celebrated a number of strong class performances at Vodafone Rally Portugal this weekend, resulting in overall victory in the WRC Trophy and WRC 3 support championships.
Out to again prove their speed after coming close to a debut FIA World Rally Championship win in Argentina, Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt’s sixth place finish was their best result in Portugal. Their M-Sport-prepared Ford Fiesta WRC performed faultlessly over the weekend, allowing the Brits to score crucial power-stage points for the second rally in a row.
After a last-minute switch to DMACK’s gravel tyres, Norwegians Mads Ostberg and Ola Floene set two fastest stage times over the weekend on their way to eighth place – still experimenting with the ideal settings for the new rubber.
In last year’s specification Fiesta RS WRC, Czech driver Martin Prokop took a dominant 11-minute victory with JM Raoux third in his DMACK-shod DS3 WRC.
And it was a clean-sweep as DMACK runners clinched the top-four places in WRC 3 with Francisco Name coming out on top ahead of Junior WRC regulars Nil Solans and Nicolas Ciamin. In WRC 2, Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy graduate Max Vatanen finished 13th after retiring on Saturday.
Rally Portugal, based in Matosinhos near Porto, lived up to its challenging reputation. The technical gravel stages to the north of the city cut up badly on the second pass with drivers forced to negotiate rutted roads littered with rocks.
WRC drivers used DMACK’s DMG+2 tyre in GS62 and GH23 compounds to good effect, with Ostberg and Evans setting a string of top-three stage times. WRC 2 and WRC 3 cars were equipped with the DMG+22 pattern which once again proved its competitiveness and adaptability across the different classes.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “This weekend has really highlighted our range of products for all categories of rally cars – from the elite 2017 WRC cars to the smaller two-wheel-drive machines. We’ve worked hard to develop and expand our range and, while this weekend has been a tough challenge, we’ve demonstrated a new level of competitiveness.”
Elfyn Evans said: “It’s not been the overall result we hoped for but we pushed as hard as possible and would have been higher had we not encountered a few problems and mistakes. When everything was working well we proved the pace was once again at the front so there are a few positives to take from the event.”Sun, 21 May 2017 14:30:00 +0000Bogie Takes Home Win Using DMACK In Scotlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/bogie-takes-home-win-using-dmack-in-scotlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/bogie-takes-home-win-using-dmack-in-scotland• DMACK competitors take 1-2 victory on RSAC Scottish Rally.• Drivers on DMACK win all 10 stages and unbeaten since last year’s event.• Victory in Junior BRC and National Rally Cup.• Six DMACK drivers finish in top-ten.
DMACK continued its unbeaten run of seven overall wins in the MSA British Rally Championship after Dumfries driver David Bogie and co-driver Kevin Rae took a popular home victory on the RSAC Scottish Rally today – their first BRC win since 2011.
Piloting his CA1-Sport prepared Skoda Fabia R5, Bogie came out on top by 48.5 seconds after a final stage drama saw rally leader, and team-mate, Fredrik Ahlin retire with a damaged radiator. Second was Osian Pryce in a Ford Fiesta R5, with Keith Cronin fourth – both using DMACK DMG+22 gravel tyres in GS63 soft and GH43 medium compounds.
Early rally leader Tom Cave, in a DMACK-equipped Hyundai i20 R5, ripped a wheel off on the first stage this morning leaving championship leader Ahlin to move ahead by nine seconds. The Swede, who won both the opening two rallies so far this season, was hunted down by Bogie on home turf and after stage seven through Twiglees forest, the gap was done to one second.
Bogie then edged into the lead by just 0.1 seconds, setting up a final test duel through the second pass of Windy Hill. But Ahlin collided with a rock, damaged his radiator and was forced to retire in the stage. That left Bogie to take DMACK’s seventh consecutive win in the British series – unbeaten since the Scottish Rally in 2016.
In the Junior BRC for the nation’s top young stars, Cameron Davies took a dominant win after finishing over a minute clear of his closest rival.
And Scot Donnie MacDonald won the National Rally Cup in his Ford Fiesta R5 – making it overall honours in three different categories for DMACK drivers.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “Once again it’s been another dominant event for DMACK competitors across all classes. David and Kevin really deserve this win and their CA1-Sport team have a third consecutive victory. But I’m also impressed with the performances from Cameron and Donnie on what was a very tough event.”
David Bogie, Scottish Rally winner, said: “We’ve been knocking on the door for the last three events and I’ve been desperate for a victory – so it’s great to actually do it on my home rally. The stages were tricky, very rough in places but the DMACK tyres have worked great all weekend. The last stage was all or nothing, we just pushed as much as possible.”Sat, 20 May 2017 22:00:00 +0000DMACK Pushes For Top Pace In Portugalhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-pushes-for-top-pace-in-portugalhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-pushes-for-top-pace-in-portugal&bull; Same soft compound tyres nominated as Rally Argentina.&bull; Renewed confidence after stunning gravel performance.&bull; First DDFT prize drive event for Max Vatanen. &bull; Three WRC cars to run on DMACK tyres.
DMACK is hoping to continue the impressive gravel performance which saw it come within 0.7 seconds of a maiden FIA World Rally Championship victory, when the team tackles Vodafone Rally de Portugal next week.
DMACK&rsquo;s leading crew, Brits Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt, were blisteringly fast last time out at Rally Argentina &ndash; setting the highest number of fastest stage times on an event this year and coming within a whisker of a debut WRC win.
They led for all but two stages, surprised many with their pace and proved that the partnership will be a competitive force this season.
Some of the roads in Portugal next week are expected to have similar soft surfaces to Argentina, but the stages are slower, more technical and littered with rocks at the side of the road. Second pass becomes badly rutted and cars pull out even more rocks which can damage both wheels and tyres.
DMACK has again nominated the soft compound GS62 version of its DMG+2 gravel tyre as the main choice for the Porto-based event. WRC crews will have a maximum of 28 over the weekend while WRC 2 drivers will have access to 26 DMG+22 tyres, designed specifically for R5 cars.
As one of the original rounds of the inaugural WRC in 1973, Rally Portugal is steeped in history and attracts huge numbers of spectators. The route runs to the north of the service park in Matosinhos and the iconic Fafe test on Sunday, with its famous jump, is set to attract tens of thousands of fans.
In addition to Evans, who is piloting a 2017-spec Ford Fiesta WRC, DMACK will also supply two other WRC entries &ndash; Martin Prokop in a Fiesta and Jean-Michel Raoux with a Citroen DS3.
The Drive DMACK team also makes its debut in WRC 2. Max Vatanen and JJ Renucci compete in the first of two prize drive rallies, awarded from last season&rsquo;s Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Portugal is a tough rally and always throws up some challenging conditions. We proved in Argentina that our gravel products are very competitive and we will be aiming to replicate that performance. However, the stages are technical and second pass can become pretty rough and rutted.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;The overall package worked really well in Argentina and the plan in Portugal is just to push as hard as we can again and put in the best performance possible. We had a positive run in Argentina but that hasn&rsquo;t changed anything &ndash; we go to Portugal to do our best and aim as high as possible.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen, DMACK WRC 2 driver, said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really looking forward to stepping up to the R5 car. It&rsquo;s my first-ever race in WRC 2 and we are here to learn but also do our best. I have good experience of the Portuguese roads from the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy and they really suit my driving style so I&rsquo;m aiming to make the most of that.&rdquo;
Tyre Information:List 1 for R5 and WRC 2 DMACK Grippa 205/65R15 DMG+22 First choice: GS62 soft compound Second choice: GH23 hard compound Maximum allowed: 26
Tyre Information: List 2 for WRC DMACK Grippa 215/65R15 DMG+2 First choice: GS62 soft compound Second choice: GH23 hard compound Maximum allowed: 28
Event Information Based: Matosinhos, Porto Start: Guimaraes, 18.10 on Thursday 18 May Finish: Matosinhos, 14.20 on Sunday 21 May Stages: 19 stages, 349.17km Longest stage: S12/15 Amarante, 37.55kmFri, 12 May 2017 12:52:00 +0000DMACK Denied Debut Victory By Less Than A Secondhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-denied-debut-victory-by-less-than-a-secondhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-denied-debut-victory-by-less-than-a-second&bull; Elfyn Evans equals DMACK&rsquo;s best WRC result.&bull; DMACK and Evans miss out on a debut victory by just 0.7s.&bull; Evans holds the record for most stage wins on a 2017 event.&bull; Evans benefits from soft compound GS62 tyres.
DMACK celebrated another milestone in its short history this weekend after dominating Rally Argentina and missing out on a debut FIA World Rally Championship victory by less than a second.
Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt had led the fifth round of the FIA World Rally Championship since the second stage on Friday but, in a dramatic final-stage twist, they clipped a bridge just kilometres from the end and dropped to second overall.
It was a momentous event, however, for the British DMACK crew who used the DMG+2 GS62 tyre to set a pace that left more experienced competitors in their wake. They stormed through the opening day of the event and put in an untouchable performance to win six stages and hold an overnight lead of 55.7 seconds.
It was DMACK&rsquo;s best-ever day in the WRC as Evans powered his M-Sport Ford Fiesta WRC into a commanding position as other drivers faltered on the rough gravel stages around the Santa Rosa de Calamuchita valley.
Maximising the superior performance of their soft compound tyres, they continued to set the pace on Saturday on some of the toughest conditions in the championship. Another stage win took their total to seven, the highest number scored on an individual rally by any driver this season.
Then a misunderstanding with a pacenote on stage 12 forced Evans to slide wide and he picked up a puncture. There was further drama when the rear diffuser ripped off after a heavy landing, affecting the handling in the rear of the car, and Evans inevitably dropped further time.
They took a slender 11.5 second advantage into the final day today but temporary loss of brakes and an overheating engine meant they held a 0.6 second lead going into the final stage over the iconic El Condor mountain pass.
After edging ahead at the halfway point, Evans clipped a bridge and lost just enough time to see his lead turn into a 0.7 second deficit &ndash; his and DMACK&rsquo;s dream of a debut WRC victory slipped away. The second place equalled DMACK&rsquo;s best finish in the championship and signalled Evans&rsquo; intention to chase his maiden win this season.
In the WRC 2 support category, local driver Juan Carlos Alonso finished a stunning second overall using DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+22 gravel tyres.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It has been an incredible weekend on probably the toughest and most challenging event in the WRC. Elfyn and Dan produced a stunning performance this weekend and it is extremely reassuring to know we have the complete package to challenge for victory on all of the gravel events this season. We look forward to taking the battle to Michelin in Portugal.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a milestone event in my career. We are obviously disappointed at not sealing our first win in the WRC but this weekend has made me even more determined. We&rsquo;ve picked up so much from this rally, I know I have the pace to challenge at the top now and the experience will help me to improve even further.&rdquo;Sun, 30 Apr 2017 21:00:00 +0000DMACK Seals Pirelli Crown With Sixth BRC Victoryhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-seals-pirelli-crown-with-sixth-brc-victoryhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-seals-pirelli-crown-with-sixth-brc-victory&bull; DMACK wins home BRC round &ndash; the Pirelli International Rally.&bull; Sixth consecutive BRC victory for DMACK competitors.&bull; DMACK drivers win every stage of the event. &bull; Debut victory for new medium compound GH43 tyre.
DMACK sealed its sixth consecutive MSA British Rally Championship victory in style today by conquering the Carlisle-based Pirelli International Rally &ndash; its home round of the championship. Fredrik Ahlin and co-driver Torstein Eriksen maintained their winning run in 2017 by taking a 39.4-second victory over Osian Pryce and Dale Furniss &ndash; making it a DMACK 1-2.
The result was a debut success for DMACK&rsquo;s new medium GH43 compound DMG+22 gravel tyre, which was unbeatable throughout the weekend. It was a closely fought battle over the event&rsquo;s eight stages with four different drivers winning stages through the tough Kielder forest complex &ndash; all using DMACK tyres.
Tom Cave in a Hyundai i20 R5 was quickest out of the blocks but was sidelined after stage two with suspension damage. That left the door open for Ahlin in his CA1-Sport Skoda Fabia R5 to hold a 21.8 second overnight lead.
Despite being chased by Pryce and team-mate David Bogie, who was fastest over all of today&rsquo;s action, Ahlin extended his lead and cruised home to the podium. The result marked a sterling partnership for DMACK and CA1 Sport &ndash; winning all five of the events entered so far in 2017.
The roads through Kielder forest are some of the most daunting in the UK, with high speeds and deep ditches lining the gravel roads. However, the new medium compound DMACK tyre provided the performance needed to master the dry, abrasive roads.
Ahlin now leads the series by 23 points and current champions DMACK are on track to maintain the title.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It has been an extremely dominant performance and satisfying win. Competitors using DMACK tyres were fastest on every stage and our new medium compound GH43 tyre worked exceptionally well on the dry, abrasive stages. Fredrik drove extremely well and we continue our run of UK rally victories. My thanks to the Pirelli Rally organisers for putting on a great event.&rdquo;
Fredrik Ahlin, Pirelli International Rally winner, said: &ldquo;We are really happy to have taken our second win of the season and, with the extra joker points, we are now 23 points clear in the championship. Today was tough as we struggled with the balance of the car and I spun on the first stage this morning. The aim now is to consolidate our championship advantage on the Scottish and take the pressure off for the Tarmac rallies.&rdquo;Sun, 30 Apr 2017 15:00:00 +0000DMACK And Evans Continue To Lead In Argentinahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-and-evans-continue-to-lead-in-argentinahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-and-evans-continue-to-lead-in-argentina&bull; Evans maintains 11.5 second lead ahead of final leg.&bull; Today was packed full of minor problems.&bull; Sets up a final day battle for debut victory.
DMACK&rsquo;s Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt continue to lead after day three of Rally Argentina on what has been a tough day for the pair. After managing a number of different problems over today&rsquo;s six stages, they hold an 11.5 second advantage going into the final leg tomorrow.
Today began with another stage victory, their seventh of the event and the highest number scored on an individual rally by any driver this season. Then a misunderstanding with a pacenote on stage 12 forced Evans to slide wide and he picked up a puncture, slashing his lead to 44 seconds by mid-day service.
In the afternoon there was further drama when the rear diffuser ripped off after a heavy landing on the opening test of the loop. That affected the handling in the rear of the car, especially through the long 38.68km Los Gigantes test, and Evans inevitably dropped further time - spinning his Fiesta WRC in the final stage.
Evans and Barritt take their slender 11.5 second lead into tomorrow&rsquo;s loop of three stages, setting up a final day battle for his debut WRC victory. It&rsquo;s a tough day with two passes over El Condor and one run through the classic lunar landscape Mina Clavero test.
Elfyn Evans said: &ldquo;We had a number of problems today, from the puncture after a pacenote misunderstanding to ripping off the rear diffuser and having lots of oversteer in the final few stages. We also spun in the last one. But I&rsquo;m still leading, I didn&rsquo;t come here to finish second and if Thierry Neuville wants the win he&rsquo;s going to have to fight for it.&rdquo;Sat, 29 Apr 2017 19:00:00 +0000Historic Day Sees DMACK Lead Rally Argentinahttp://dmacktyres.com/historic-day-sees-dmack-lead-rally-argentinahttp://dmacktyres.com/historic-day-sees-dmack-lead-rally-argentina&bull; Best day in DMACK's seven-year WRC history.&bull; Six stage victories using soft compound GS62 tyres.&bull; Elfyn Evans and Dan Barritt hold a 55.7 second lead.
DMACK celebrated its best-ever day in the FIA World Rally Championship after Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt stormed their Ford Fiesta WRC through the opening day of Rally Argentina to win six stages and hold an overnight lead of 55.7 seconds.
Starting the day in second place after an opening super-special stage in Cordoba last night, the pair put in an exceptional drive as more experienced crews faltered on the rough gravel stages around the Santa Rosa de Calamuchita valley.
Maximising the superior performance of their new soft compound DMG+2 GS62 DMACK tyres, they won all four stages in the morning loop to hold a mid-day 30.1 second advantage &ndash; and lead a rally for the first time this season.
After service they immediately blitzed the pack to extend the gap by another 17 seconds and put in a relentless drive to dominate the day and hold a comfortable advantage at the top of the standings.
Tomorrow&rsquo;s action moves north of host town Villa Carlos Paz with two passes over a long 80km loop of stages &ndash; including the longest of the rally Los Gigantes.
Elfyn Evans said: &ldquo;We pushed hard this morning to really take advantage of our road position but I&rsquo;ve also been careful and backed off where we knew it would be tricky. Everything has felt good and the whole package has worked well. We knew the soft tyre would be competitive from our experience in Mexico and I just focused on pushing as much as I could. Tomorrow&rsquo;s a long, tough day but we will just maintain the pace and take it stage by stage.&rdquo;
Dick Cormack, DMACK Tyres managing director, said: &ldquo;Elfyn didn&rsquo;t test before the event so we&rsquo;re delighted to be leading our first rally of this ultra-competitive season. We took the decision to make this year&rsquo;s soft compound DMG+2 tyre a little harder than last year and that&rsquo;s really paid off &ndash; with stage wins in Mexico and now in Argentina as well. The stages this morning were quite soft and muddy on the recce so we certainly didn&rsquo;t expect to be so far ahead after the first loop.&rdquo;Fri, 28 Apr 2017 22:00:00 +0000DMACK Tackles Tough Territory In Arduous Argentinahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-tackles-tough-territory-in-arduous-argentinahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-tackles-tough-territory-in-arduous-argentina&bull; Soft compound tyres nominated for the first time in 2017.&bull; Rough roads provide first big test for new tyre construction.&bull; Elfyn Evans targets top result and trouble-free drive.
DMACK is aiming for a strong result on next weekend&rsquo;s gravel adventure at Rally Argentina and a change of fortune for its top WRC crew as they chase more leading times and their best result of the season.
Despite demonstrating world-class speed on both asphalt and gravel this season, Elfyn Evans and co-driver Dan Barritt have experienced a number of technical problems, stopping them from securing the overall results they continue to strive for.
In his M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta WRC, Evans set three fastest times on the debut of DMACK&rsquo;s new 2017 gravel tyres in Mexico last month and finished third overall in Argentina two years ago. And he&rsquo;s hoping to emulate that speed on the rough, sandy stages around Villa Carlos Paz next week.
It&rsquo;s the first time that the soft GS62 compound of DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 gravel tyre has been nominated as the main choice this season &ndash; and should cope well in the mainly soft but rutted surfaces.
However, the conditions of the stages have deteriorated in recent years and are now pretty rough and rocky. The chance of punctures is high, especially on second pass, and it will be the first stern test of DMACK&rsquo;s new run-flat construction.
The mix of stage conditions also means that various tyre performance factors come into play. Mechanical grip, provided by the well-proven DMG+2 tread pattern, plays a big part in the sandy stages whereas compound grip is more prevalent on the harder roads.
One thing that won&rsquo;t be in short supply is energy and excitement. Rally Argentina is famed for attracting thousands of fans who line the stages, many camping overnight to secure the best vantage points.
While the rally starts with a super-special stage in the centre of Cordoba city on Thursday evening, Friday takes crews south to the Santa Rosa de Calamuchita valley for a loop of three stages. Saturday moves north again before drivers tackle the iconic, high-altitude El Condor and Mina Clavero tests, with their tough lunar landscapes, on Sunday.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Our tyres have always been competitive in Argentina and we know it&rsquo;s possible to deliver a strong performance on that surface. However, it has become an arduous and demanding event so we&rsquo;re all hoping for a trouble-free run.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;After a few problems at the start of the season, we are hoping to turn things around in Argentina. We have plenty of positives to take from our performance in Mexico and, for a number of reasons, we haven&rsquo;t achieved the results that I know we are capable of. I&rsquo;m focused on this rally and aiming for a real result here.&rdquo;
Tyre InformationList 1 for R5 and WRC 2DMACK Grippa 205/65R15 DMG+22First choice: GS62 soft compoundSecond choice: GH23 hard compoundMaximum allowed: 26
Tyre Information: List 2 for WRCDMACK Grippa 215/65R15 DMG+2First choice: GS62 soft compoundSecond choice: GH23 hard compoundMaximum allowed: 28
Event Information Based: Villa Carlos Paz, Cordoba Start: Villa Carlos Paz, 16.00 on Thursday 27 April Finish: Villa Carlos Paz, 14.00 on Sunday 30 April Stages: 18 stages, 357.59km Longest stage: S11/14 Los Gigantes &ndash; Cantera El Condor, 38.68km
&nbsp;Wed, 26 Apr 2017 10:15:00 +0000Asphalt Improvements For DMACK In Corsican Classichttp://dmacktyres.com/asphalt-improvements-for-dmack-in-corsican-classichttp://dmacktyres.com/asphalt-improvements-for-dmack-in-corsican-classic&bull; Positive debut for new DMACK hard compound tyre.&bull; Mechanical problems halt Elfyn Evans&rsquo; challenge.&bull; DMACK-backed FIA Junior WRC a success for new R2 tyres.
DMACK reported significant performance improvements from its new hard compound rally tyres after a tough fourth round of the FIA World Rally Championship saw it battle the roads of Tour de Corse.
The manic Mediterranean event allowed the new H6+ compound of the DMT-RC22 asphalt tyre to perform well in the challenging Corsican stages &ndash; characterised by relentless corners and changing Tarmac surfaces.
Scoring three fastest stage times on the roads of Rallye Monte Carlo in January, Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt came to the event searching for another strong display. But on only the second stage on Friday, their M-Sport Ford Fiesta WRC lost hydraulic pressure &ndash; forcing Evans to limp through the remaining day&rsquo;s three stages with limited use of the car&rsquo;s differentials and gearbox.
He dropped back to 18th and ploughed further down the classification on Saturday after sliding off the road and getting stuck on the outside of a left corner. It was a rally to forget for the pair but they did complete two long stages to provide the DMACK technicians with valuable comparison data and feedback.
The new-generation DMT-RC22 had been designed for 2017&rsquo;s new high-powered rally cars with a blend of both durability and performance &ndash; to tackle the expected 80km competitive loops of this ruthless rally. They were a big step forward from last season and upgrades are already planned to further improve the pace for the next sealed surface event in Germany.
There was further positive news from the opening round of the 2017 FIA Junior World Rally Championship, where DMACK is both official partner and tyre supplier. The new 16&rdquo; DMT-RC2 proved ultra-competitive for the Ford Fiesta R2 cars &ndash; promoting DMACK as a leading supplier of competitive asphalt products for smaller front-wheel-drive cars.
Boasting 10 of the world&rsquo;s top young rally talent, the Junior category was won by Spain&rsquo;s Nil Solans with Nicolas Ciamin second and Terry Folb third.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We have made some steps forward compared to 2016. The focus was very much on durability due to the forecasted 80km loops and new WRC cars, so when the loops were reduced to around 65km it didn&rsquo;t work in our favour. We already have upgrades planned as we continue development, it&rsquo;s just a shame Elfyn was unable to get more stages completed because of the various problems.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;This has always been one of my favourite events so it's disappointing not to have been in a position to have challenged for a strong result. We had problems with the car on the opening day and the mistake yesterday, so it's just not been our rally. It's not been a wasted weekend, we've learnt a lot and collected important information that we can use to be stronger at the next asphalt event. Now, the focus is very much on Argentina.&rdquo;Mon, 10 Apr 2017 07:57:00 +0000New DMACK Hard For Arduous Asphalt Adventurehttp://dmacktyres.com/new-dmack-hard-for-arduous-asphalt-adventurehttp://dmacktyres.com/new-dmack-hard-for-arduous-asphalt-adventure&bull; DMACK debuts new hard compound asphalt tyre.&bull; First full asphalt rally of the season.&bull; DMACK-backed FIA Junior WRC gets underway.&bull; Evans finalises preparation with test in Corsica.
Next week&rsquo;s Tour de Corse, the first all-asphalt round of the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship will see British tyre manufacturer DMACK roll out its final new tyre for the WRC season. The company has a new hard compound H6+ version of its DMT-RC22, packed with performance upgrades, for drivers competing in WRC and WRC 2.
The iconic island event is also the first round of the FIA Junior World Rally Championship, where DMACK is official partner and tyre supplier.
After setting three fastest stage times on the asphalt roads of Rallye Monte Carlo in January, Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt will be aiming for another strong display in their M-Sport World Rally Team-entered Ford Fiesta WRC.
Evans has topped the time-sheets on six occasions already this year, getting DMACK&rsquo;s seventh consecutive WRC season off to a best-ever start. Next week&rsquo;s arduous asphalt adventure will see the Welshman use DMACK&rsquo;s DMT-RC22 tyres in S6+ and H6+ compounds.
Evans scored his best-ever WRC finish of second on this event in 2015 and tested in Corsica last week to finalise preparations and find the optimum set-up with the new hard compound tyre. All WRC drivers have a maximum allocation of 32 tyres over the weekend, while WRC 2 and R5 drivers have 30.
Meanwhile the successful Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy, which ran over three seasons, will effectively become the new Junior WRC this season. With DMACK offering the huge prize of seven WRC 2 events, the series has attracted an initial entry of 10 of the world&rsquo;s top young rally talent.
The aspiring stars will take to the first of six rounds at the wheel of identical Ford Fiesta R2T rally cars, equipped with a completely new range of DMACK tyres. They will debut DMACK&rsquo;s new 195/50R16 DMT-RC2, with design influenced by the company&rsquo;s WRC tyre, and have two compounds available.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We gathered a lot of information and experience from last year&rsquo;s event and we come to Corsica well prepared with a totally new tyre. We&rsquo;ve focused on upgrades in the construction and compounding so we hope to see a significant gain in performance from 2016.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;Corsica is always a challenging event but it&rsquo;s one where we&rsquo;ve traditionally had strong results. It helps a lot that the route is so similar to last year and that we competed there just six months ago. The weather could again play a big part over the weekend, but either way we are still ready and looking forward to the challenge.&rdquo;
Tyre Information: List 1 (WRC 2) DMACK Grippa 225/40R18 DMT-RC22, compounds: S6+ soft (20) and H6+ hard (30) DMACK Grippa 225/40R18 DMT-W, compound: W5+ wet (8) Maximum allocation: 30
Tyre Information: List 2 (WRC) DMACK Grippa 225/40R18 DMT-RC22, compounds: S6+ soft (22) and H6+ hard (32) DMACK Grippa 225/40R18 DMT-W, compound: W5+ wet (8) Maximum allocation: 32
Tyre Information: Junior WRC Tyre: DMACK Grippa 195/50R16 DMT-RC2 Compounds: S5 soft (12) and H5 hard (20) Maximum allocation: 24
Event Information Based: Bastia, Corsica Start: Ajaccio, 18.30 on Thursday 6 April Finish: Porto Vecchio, 13.00 on Sunday 9 April Stages: 10 stages, 316.76km Longest stage: SS9 Antisanti &ndash; Poggio di Nazza 53.78kmFri, 31 Mar 2017 10:23:00 +0000Five In A Row As DMACK Dominates British Rallyhttp://dmacktyres.com/five-in-a-row-as-dmack-dominates-british-rallyhttp://dmacktyres.com/five-in-a-row-as-dmack-dominates-british-rally&bull; DMACK&rsquo;s fifth consecutive British Rally Championship victory.&bull; Top-four overall drivers use new DMACK gravel tyres.&bull; Third UK rally win in five weeks. &bull; DMACK drivers lead seven of the nine championship battles.
Reigning British champion DMACK continued to stamp its authority on UK rallying as the top-four drivers on the opening round of the 2017 MSA British Rally Championship all used the firm&rsquo;s new gravel tyres. The historic victory from Swede Fredrik Ahlin and co-driver Torstein Eriksen was DMACK&rsquo;s fifth consecutive overall win in the UK&rsquo;s top rally series.
The Border Counties Rally was an extremely challenging but competitive event. After the four opening special stages through the slippery southern Scotland forests, four different drivers had topped the time-sheets &ndash; each one using DMACK&rsquo;s new 2017 specification DMG+22 rally tyre.
It was the third UK victory in five weeks for DMACK drivers as the company&rsquo;s new British-built products showed just how competitive they were in the tricky UK forest stages.
The British national series is one of the most competitive with DMACK up against four other tyre manufacturers &ndash; Hankook, Kumho, Michelin and Pirelli. But Ahlin, driving his CA1 Sport-prepared Skoda Fabia R5, was a class act and opened up a winning margin of 38 seconds at the end of the 55-mile event.
Second and third were Welsh drivers Tom Cave and Osian Pryce, with Irishman Keith Cronin fourth &ndash; all three driving DMACK-equipped Ford Fiesta R5 cars.
DMACK continued its success across the classes. In the newly-formed Cadet Cup, drivers using DMACK&rsquo;s new 175/70R15 tyre locked out the podium while world mountain-bike star Gee Atherton won BRC4. Donnie MacDonald was the overall winner of the National Rally Cup and Nabila Tejpar took the Ladies Trophy, making it DMACK drivers leading seven of the nine championship classes.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Our new range of tyres for national rallying has been successful straight away and to take three overall rally victories in five weeks in the UK shows that we&rsquo;ve got an unbeatable product. It&rsquo;s encouraging that we are continuing to win at all levels across the British championship and we have even more to come as product development continues.&rdquo;
Fredrik Ahlin, Border Counties Rally winner, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a very good weekend for us. We took it steady to begin with as I had a new car and new co-driver, but I am really happy with how today went. After taking a big chunk of time in the middle of the day, we just kept that gap and made sure we got to the finish. We will continue going forward with a smart approach, being neat and consistent and thinking about the championship. We couldn&rsquo;t have asked for a better start &ndash; it&rsquo;s going to be a good year.&rdquo;Tue, 21 Mar 2017 09:28:00 +0000DMACK Trophy Winners Tackle WRC 2 Prize Drive Eventshttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-trophy-winners-tackle-wrc-2-prize-drive-eventshttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-trophy-winners-tackle-wrc-2-prize-drive-eventsThree drivers from the 2016 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy will take up their prize drives and tackle rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship WRC 2 series this year.
The one-make DMACK championship offered the biggest prize in world rallying for three years and has now effectively become the Junior WRC for 2017.
Overall winners from 2016, Welshmen Osian Pryce and Dale Furniss, will compete in Poland and Finland at the wheel of the M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta R5.
Finnish star and runner-up Max Vatanen will be first to sample the action when he starts Rally Portugal. He will also tackle his home round of the WRC in Finland &ndash; an event he won during last year&rsquo;s DMACK Fiesta Trophy.
Finally Northern-Irish star Jon Armstrong will drive in Germany and Spain &ndash; hoping his Tarmac experience will help him secure a solid result.
The bonus seventh round at Wales Rally GB will go to the driver who scores the most points in WRC 2 across their pair of events, so there won&rsquo;t be any cruising for the three stars as they step-up to four-wheel-drive.
The talented trio will all benefit from DMACK&rsquo;s new 2017 range of tyres for WRC, which have already scored six stage victories on both gravel and asphalt this season.
Osian Pryce said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s fantastic to have confirmation that we&rsquo;re competing in Poland and Finland with the DMACK Fiesta R5 this year. Those events were the ones I really targeted and wanted to go for. I want to thank both DMACK and M-Sport for what&rsquo;s coming this season. All too often you hear drivers complaining that there aren&rsquo;t enough doors opening in this sport &ndash; we gave one door a bit of a push last year and it&rsquo;s opened really nicely for us.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really looking forward to taking up the prize drive. It&rsquo;s the right step in my career and it's up to me to make the most out of it with the great combination of DMACK tyres and M-Sport's Fiesta R5. Winning my class on my home soil of Finland last year is the highlight of my rallying. Having the opportunity to do it in WRC 2 this year is a dream come true.&rdquo;
Jon Armstrong said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m very excited to take control of the DMACK Fiesta R5 in Germany and Spain this year. We showed great speed on both events last season, so we are confident of setting some competitive times and getting good results. It's a dream come true to drive in WRC 2, I want to thank DMACK and will aim to make the most of the opportunity I&rsquo;ve been handed."Wed, 15 Mar 2017 09:02:00 +0000DMACK Success With New Gravel Tyre In Mexicohttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-success-with-new-gravel-tyre-in-mexicohttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-success-with-new-gravel-tyre-in-mexico&bull; Three stage victories at Rally Mexico.&bull; Upgraded WRC tyre shows top level performance on debut.&bull; Elfyn Evans finishes ninth despite engine penalty.&bull; Podium in WRC 2 for home hero Benito Guerra.
DMACK took its first gravel stage victories of the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship season this weekend, on the debut of its new range of upgraded gravel rally tyres.
Brits Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt used the new DMG+2 tyres to set a string of top times across the tough gravel roads of Rally Guanajuato Mexico, allowing DMACK to once again demonstrate its world-leading performance and set fastest times on three of the 18 special stages.
The more-powerful 2017-specification world rally cars were expected to demand greater tyre durability, especially on gravel, and DMACK ramped up the performance of its new products. First-up was a new innovative construction, improving sidewall stiffness, adding precision and making the tyre more robust.
DMACK also upgraded its hard and soft compounds to deliver both greater endurance and enhanced performance with the use of state-of-the-art compounding and advanced rubber components.
Evans&rsquo; rally got off to the worst possible start on Wednesday. After pre-event shakedown, the engine in his M-Sport Ford Fiesta WRC expired and had to be changed &ndash; he was handed a five-minute time penalty and dropped to last place before the rally had even started.
Rally Mexico kicked off with a day trip to Mexico City&rsquo;s Zocalo Square for two spectator-packed stages and Evans set about clawing the time back. When the real competition started in the mountains above Leon on Friday, he finished second on three stages and scored his first gravel stage win of the season &ndash; despite an overheating engine slowing his charge.
Adding two more stage victories on Saturday, Evans and Barritt miraculously climbed to ninth after three full days of action across the high-altitude Mexican roads.
Alongside tyres for top-class WRC cars, DMACK has also developed a totally new range of DMG+22 gravel products dedicated for R5 cars competing in WRC 2. Local hero Benito Guerra used both hard and soft compound tyres on his Fabia R5 over the weekend to score DMACK&rsquo;s first podium of the season in the category.
Hot temperatures mixed with tropical rain showers made conditions, and tyre choices, an even greater challenge. The Rally Mexico route climbed to 2737m and that high altitude meant engines struggled to breathe with power reduced by around 20 per cent.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a positive weekend and we&rsquo;ve again shown that the DMACK tyre can be competitive alongside Michelin. We&rsquo;re really pleased with the performance of the new gravel range and encouraged that we&rsquo;ve scored three fastest times on the first gravel event of the season. Elfyn and Dan have again delivered another solid performance in tough conditions.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;Overall I&rsquo;m pretty happy with the performance this weekend. We&rsquo;ve been competitive, scored three fastest times and got valuable mileage during our first time on gravel with this car. It&rsquo;s been a tricky weekend, having to run first on the road, but we&rsquo;ve definitely made the most of it and have good confidence for the next gravel rally in Argentina.&rdquo;Mon, 13 Mar 2017 09:10:00 +0000DMACK Targets Performance With 2017 Gravel Tyre Rangehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-targets-performance-with-2017-gravel-tyre-rangehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-targets-performance-with-2017-gravel-tyre-range• First rally for 2017 specification gravel tyres.• Upgraded WRC tyre and completely new WRC 2 tyre.• Elfyn Evans completed pre-event test in Spain.• High temperatures and high altitudes increase challenge.
After setting 30 fastest stage times in 2016, DMACK aims to build on its gravel success on the first loose-surface event of the new FIA World Rally Championship season at Rally Guanajuato Mexico next week.
The new, more-powerful 2017 world rally cars have seen tyre manufacturers upgrade products to offer greater durability and performance. For the Mexican action, DMACK will offer completely new specifications with enhanced compounds and construction.
The DMG+2 tyre, for world rally cars, features a new run-flat construction and upgraded soft and hard compounds to cope with the huge range of gravel conditions experienced across the WRC season.
The M-Sport World Rally Team crew of Elfyn Evans and Daniel Barritt will be permitted a maximum of 32 tyres across the weekend as they chase top times on gravel to match the three already bagged on asphalt this season. The pair tested their Ford Fiesta WRC last week in Spain.
Drivers in WRC 2 will benefit from the completely new DMG+22 gravel tyre, the mainstay of DMACK’s wider global sales range for 2017, which has a fresh tread pattern and an even greater focus on performance.
Despite the usual hot temperatures in Mexico, the generally compact clay surfaces mean that compound grip is important and a tactical mix of hard and soft compounds is possible.
With 41 per cent of the total distance made up of competitive stages, Rally Mexico is one of the most compact rounds of the WRC. It’s also the highest as the route climbs to 2737m and that high altitude means engines struggle to breathe and power can be reduced by around 20 per cent.
Organisers have boosted the traditional spectacular opening ceremony with a move to Mexico City’s famous Zocalo main square. More than 200,000 fans are expected to pack it on Thursday evening to see two runs of the opening super-special stage.
Then on Friday it’s straight into the longest test, the 54.9km El Chocolate, in the Sierra de Guanajuato mountains. After a weekend of action, including the famous underground tunnel stage through colourful Guanajuato, the event finishes back in Leon on Sunday afternoon.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “DMACK had a successful season on gravel in 2016 and we’ve been working hard to improve on that and to develop more specific products for WRC 2 competitors. As the first gravel round of the series, Mexico will provide us with crucial information on the performance of our new products.”
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: “We’ve had solid results on two of the more specialist events this year and I’m keen to get stuck into the traditional gravel and Tarmac rallies. Mexico can be one of the hottest events of the year, so physical preparation is very important. The high altitude and reduction in engine power also means you need to take a more focused and controlled approach.
Tyre Information: List 1 for R5 and WRC 2 DMACK Grippa 205/65R15 DMG+22 First choice: GH23 hard compound Second choice: GS62 soft compound Maximum allowed: 30
Tyre Information: List 2 for WRC DMACK Grippa 215/65R15 DMG+2 First choice: GH23 hard compound Second choice: GS62 soft compound Maximum allowed: 32
Event Information Based: Leon, Mexico Start: Mexico City, 18.00 on Thursday 9 March Finish: Leon, 14.30 on Sunday 12 March Stages: 20 stages, 370.46km Longest stage: SS2/4 El Chocolate, 54.90kmThu, 02 Mar 2017 16:22:00 +0000DMACK Launches Prize Scheme & New Tyre Range For Junior BRChttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-cash-prize-scheme--new-tyre-range-for-junior-brchttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-cash-prize-scheme--new-tyre-range-for-junior-brcFor the second consecutive season, DMACK will offer financial support to young drivers in the MSA British Rally Championship with a cash prize incentive scheme.
Any driver using DMACK tyres to win the Junior BRC category will receive a prize of £550 per round. In addition, if a DMACK driver wins the overall Junior BRC championship, they will be invited to the M-Sport season-ending shoot-out to fight for a funded scholarship in the Junior World Rally Championship in 2018.
Young drivers in the BRC are set to be even more competitive this year with a new range of British designed and built products, fine-tuned for the UK stages. DMACK will launch an all-new gravel tyre, the DMG+22 in an upgraded soft compound, for round one at the Border Counties Rally.
Then the new DMT-RC2 Tarmac tyre, which features the tread pattern used at WRC level, will be ready for competitors to battle at Ypres in June.
Both gravel and Tarmac products will offer much improved performance, with compounds and technology lifted straight from the company’s world rally championship experience, where it has scored 33 fastest stage times on both surfaces over the last 12 months.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “DMACK provided a huge prize to the Junior competitors last season and once again we are demonstrating our commitment to future talent in British rallying. We are also the only organisation providing an option for career progression for the second season, with the shoot-out entry giving competitors an opportunity to progress onto the world rally stage.
“The new tyres for this year will see a significant step forward, we’ve used all our knowledge from WRC to produce what we believe will be the best products on both surfaces for all BRC competitors this season.”Wed, 22 Feb 2017 09:23:00 +0000New Tyre Provides Traction For DMACK’s WRC Ambitionhttp://dmacktyres.com/new-tyre-provides-traction-for-dmack--s-wrc-ambitionhttp://dmacktyres.com/new-tyre-provides-traction-for-dmack--s-wrc-ambition&bull; New studded tyre a major step forward. &bull; Stud-retention and performance the best yet. &bull; Elfyn Evans equals his best result in Sweden.
For the second event running, British tyre manufacturer DMACK has made massive performance gains after launching an all-new tyre in the FIA World Rally Championship.
The second round of the series at Rally Sweden this weekend saw DMACK&rsquo;s new studded winter tyre deliver a string of competitive times on one of the most specialist events for tyre manufacturers.
Building on both success and technical information gathered from previous seasons, DMACK launched the evolution DMG-ICE2 tyre for the WRC&rsquo;s only proper winter rally. And the DMACK crew of Welshman Elfyn Evans and co-driver Daniel Barritt stormed home in sixth, equalling their best finish in Sweden, after an extremely positive weekend.
After setting three fastest stage times on the season-opening Rallye Monte Carlo last month, Evans and Barritt were on confident form and immediately settled into a strong pace on Friday&rsquo;s full day of opening action around Torsby.
But Evans ran slightly wide on a medium-speed, right corner on stage four and his Ford Fiesta WRC ploughed into a snow bank &ndash; smashing a chunk out of the rear wheel in the process. He was forced to limp to the end of the stage and dropped back to 12th place.
However, despite being slowed by running near the front of the field for two days and losing more time today when the engine dropped down on power for an entire stage, the pair mastered the ultra-fast, frozen forest roads, climbing their way back up to sixth place.
Benefitting from a new directional tread pattern, their DMG-ICE2 tyres also made their mark on the event. Armed with 384 metal studs in each tyre, and using upgraded technology which resulted in an unrivalled level of stud retention, they provided incredible grip and traction by biting into the solid ice-covered stages.
The performance was a significant leap forward for DMACK and signalled the firm&rsquo;s intention to target front-running pace on all events and surfaces this season.
Rally Sweden once again saw action cross into Norway and finished this afternoon in Torsby after 17 competitive stages and 300km of action on the ice-packed roads.
Evans holds sixth place in the overall championship standings as the action moves to the high-altitude, gravel stages of Rally Mexico in March.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;In general, we were very happy with the performance of our new DMG-ICE2 tyres and have showed a very competitive pace once again with the new cars when on a level playing field. The stud retention and tyre performance was extremely good all event, however, Elfyn&rsquo;s mistake on Friday meant he lost road position and ended up running behind the narrower world rally cars.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;Overall it&rsquo;s been an encouraging weekend after having limited testing before the rally. Our pace was strong on the first day but unfortunately the mistake dropped us time and also meant we were disadvantaged by running at the front of the field. However, it&rsquo;s another good haul of points, we are sixth in the championship and I&rsquo;m confident as we head to the more traditional gravel events.&rdquo;Sun, 12 Feb 2017 22:03:00 +0000DMACK Rolls Out New Studded Tyre For Swedenhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-rolls-out-new-studded-tyre-for-swedenhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-rolls-out-new-studded-tyre-for-sweden&bull; DMACK unveils new directional winter studded tyre. &bull; Elfyn Evans undertakes pre-event test tomorrow. &bull; Most specialised event of the season for tyre manufacturers.
After setting three fastest stage times on the season-opening Rallye Monte Carlo last month, DMACK heads to the FIA World Rally Championship&rsquo;s only full winter rally next week. Round two of the series at Rally Sweden is a seriously specialist event and provides one of the toughest tests of the season for tyre manufacturers and drivers.
Snow and ice-covered roads demand a very special tyre, with numerous technical variables all contributing to the end performance. To cope with the frozen forests, DMACK has designed a completely new directional winter tyre. The DMG-ICE2 features a new tread pattern and upgraded studding technology &ndash; all optimised for enhanced stud retention.
A new ultra-stiff compound and improved construction have been introduced to deliver extremely high stud rigidity and greater precision on the flat-out stages.
Each tyre is equipped with 384 metal pins which protrude 7mm to bite into the frozen surfaces and provide impressive grip. But warmer temperatures can increase exposed gravel on many stages, especially on second pass, which rips studs from the tyres and forces drivers to cleverly manage tyre allocations.
Welshman Elfyn Evans and co-driver Daniel Barritt had an excellent start in Monte. With their M-Sport team-mates Sebastien Ogier taking a win and Ott Tanak making it a double podium &ndash; Evans showed his class by claiming three stage victories and extra power stage points to hold fifth in the championship standings.
He will make his final preparations tomorrow (Saturday) with a pre-event test in his Ford Fiesta WRC.
Rally Sweden has moved further north to Torsby, close to the border with Norway, but the traditional start at Karlstad trotting track on Thursday evening is retained. Friday&rsquo;s action takes crews into Norway and the event finishes back in Torsby on Sunday afternoon.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Sweden is always a difficult event, with conditions changing every year &ndash; forcing tyre manufacturers to continually evolve products. Our new directional tyre offers improved performance on ice, however, testing opportunities have been limited. This year will be an even greater challenge with the new high-powered 2017 cars.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;We had a successful event last year winning WRC 2 and made a confident start to this season with a strong performance on Monte. Sweden is never an easy rally but I enjoy the high-speed stages and the challenge this unique event delivers. We will be giving it our all once again.&rdquo;
Tyre Information: List 1 and List 2 DMACK Grippa 205/65R15 DMG-ICE2 studded Maximum for list 1 (WRC 2): 30 Maximum for list 2 (WRC): 32
Event Information Based: Torsby, Sweden Start: Karlstad, 20.04 on Thursday 9 February Finish: Torsby, 13.00 on Sunday 12 January Stages: 17 stages, 331.74km Longest stage: SS9/12 Knon, 31.60kmTue, 07 Feb 2017 15:02:00 +0000New-Look Junior WRC Draws Drivers From Across Globehttp://dmacktyres.com/new-look-junior-wrc-draws-drivers-from-across-globehttp://dmacktyres.com/new-look-junior-wrc-draws-drivers-from-across-globeThe FIA Junior WRC in association with DMACK is gearing up for one of its most competitive and affordable seasons to date, with over 10 competitors having registered their intention to take part in the world&rsquo;s premier young driver series since applications opened just one month ago.
Offering the biggest prize in world rallying, the championship switches to M-Sport-prepared Ford Fiesta R2T turbo-charged rally cars for 2017 &ndash; the same successful arrive and drive format used by the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy for the past three seasons.
The Junior WRC has become more affordable and is seen as the perfect platform for young drivers from around the world to get their first taste of FIA World Rally Championship action in an official support series.
The huge prize, up to seven rallies at the wheel of an M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta R5 in the 2018 WRC 2 championship, offers more flexibility this season.
The six-round Junior WRC will be split into paired events and two WRC 2 prize drives will be awarded to the driver scoring the most points on each pair of rallies. An additional prize drive is presented to the overall champion. The best Rookie driver, who begins the championship with no more than two WRC starts, will also be invited to a season-ending shoot-out at M-Sport.
The new structure, which allows crews to compete on a minimum of one or two selected events to chase the prize drives, has attracted drivers from across the globe.
Sebastian Careaga from Bolivia and Mexican Miguel Medina represent South and Central America while Swede Denis Radstrom, Miko Niinemae from Estonia and Shalva Tsikhelashvili from Georgia demonstrate the diverse mix of interest in the championship.
Drivers from central Europe have also been lining up to battle for the seven prize drives. Current British Junior Champion Rob Duggan will take on French drivers Terry Folb and Nicolas Ciamin while Germany&rsquo;s Julius Tannert joins after two successful seasons in the ERC Junior Championship.
The series bursts into asphalt action with the opening round at the Tour de Corse from 6-9 April where DMACK will provide competitors with its new generation asphalt tyres &ndash; fresh from taking a series of overall stage victories at Rallye Monte Carlo.
Maciek Woda, Junior WRC manager at M-Sport, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve established a successful format with the Fiesta R2T, it has proven to be a fantastic platform for young drivers to showcase their skills. The new format has sparked interest from around the world and, with this year&rsquo;s Junior WRC set to be even more cost effective, the competition will be fierce.&rdquo;
Glenn Patterson, head of WRC motorsport at DMACK, said: &ldquo;The Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy has offered the biggest prize in world rallying for three years and I&rsquo;m pleased to see that format move into the 2017 Junior WRC. DMACK has always supported young drivers by stimulating affordable competition and this year competitors will be driving with our new range of British rally tyres &ndash; benefitting from the technology used in our top level WRC products.&rdquo;Tue, 07 Feb 2017 14:46:00 +0000Magic Monte As DMACK Takes First Win On Tarmachttp://dmacktyres.com/magic-monte-as-dmack-takes-first-win-on-tarmachttp://dmacktyres.com/magic-monte-as-dmack-takes-first-win-on-tarmac&bull; DMACK scores first ever WRC stage victory on Tarmac. &bull; Top British driver Elfyn Evans finishes sixth in season opener. &bull; Best finish for DMACK in Monte Carlo. &bull; New DMACK asphalt tyres deliver world-class performance.
After six full seasons of competition, the opening round of the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship saw DMACK score its first-ever fastest stage time on Tarmac, when a sealed-surface performance boost on the iconic Rallye Monte Carlo enabled the tyre firm to win three of Saturday's five special stages.
Elfyn Evans and co-driver Daniel Barritt surprised the WRC regulars after storming to the top of the time sheets on three separate occasions. Their sixth place finish was DMACK's top result on Monte and proof that its new asphalt and winter tyres have made massive leaps forward in performance.
The traditional season-opener lived up to its reputation, with competitors facing a range of fearsome winter conditions across the stages in the French Alps. After enduring a difficult day on Friday, when he struggled to get to grips with the hard-packed, icy roads, Evans turned it around on Saturday's five stages to the south-west of host town Gap.
He scored DMACK's first fastest time on stage 10, then stormed through stage 12 to finish 7.4 seconds ahead of his nearest rival - team-mate, four-time world champion and eventual rally winner Sebastien Ogier. And on stage 13, a flat-out blast on clean, dry asphalt roads, Evans blitzed the pack again to dominate the day.
It was a real British success story. The winning combination of Evans, Barritt, DMACK's British-built tyres and M-Sport's Cumbrian-made Ford Fiesta WRC was the star of a super, snowy Saturday.
The result was down to the newly-launched range of DMACK Grippa tyres for the 2017 season. Packed full of performance upgrades, including a new tread pattern, wider profile and latest compounds, Evans won stages using the studded DMT-ICE2 winter tyre and the DMT-RC22 asphalt tyre in both XS6+ (extra soft) and S6+ (soft) compounds.
It was an historic event for DMACK with every single type of tyre nominated for the event demonstrating huge strides forward and confirming a new level of confidence in the range of world-class asphalt products.
Rallye Monte Carlo saw crews flagged off from a glitzy opening ceremony in Casino Square on Thursday evening. Competitors tackled 13 stages around the French town of Gap, before heading south for the final four stages today.
The event saw DMACK start its seventh consecutive season as authorised tyre supplier to the WRC and once again the challenging conditions ensured tyre strategy played a critical role in the result.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: "Last season saw our gravel products challenge for WRC victories and this year has started exceptionally well for our Tarmac tyres. We have to be pleased with the result on what has been some of the toughest Monte conditions for a few years, it's a big step forward for us. Elfyn has driven exceptionally well all weekend and huge congratulations are due to M-Sport for winning on the debut of their new Fiesta."
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: "It&rsquo;s a fantastic start to the season for us. We didn't have a great day on Friday but Saturday's performance more than made up for that and really raised some eyebrows. I was very happy with my driving and the feeling with the car and tyres was really positive. It was easy to work with Daniel again, everything gelled together right from the start."Sun, 22 Jan 2017 16:26:00 +0000DMACK Unveils New Tyres, New Car, New Driver For WRChttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-unveils-new-tyres-new-car-new-driver-for-wrchttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-unveils-new-tyres-new-car-new-driver-for-wrc&bull; DMACK competes in WRC for seventh consecutive season. &bull; Completely new range of products for WRC and WRC 2 competitors.&bull; Elfyn Evans kicks off campaign in Ford Fiesta WRC on DMACK tyres. &bull; Iconic Rallye Monte Carlo gets 2017 season underway.
British tyre manufacturer DMACK is set to compete in the FIA World Rally Championship as an authorised tyre supplier for the seventh consecutive season this week. The iconic Rallye Monte Carlo gets the championship underway, where the UK&rsquo;s Elfyn Evans will line up in an all-new 2017-spec Ford Fiesta WRC on DMACK tyres.
Reunited with co-driver Daniel Barritt, 28-year-old Welshman Evans won the British Rally Championship last season with DMACK and he steps back up to the world&rsquo;s top level in 2017. Nominated as their third points scoring driver, Evans will pilot M-Sport&rsquo;s spectacular, new generation Fiesta world rally car.
It will be equipped with a range of new DMACK Grippa products &ndash; each one packed with performance upgrades after over 15 months of technical development. Two types of dry weather asphalt tyre are permitted next week and DMACK brings its DMT-RC22 with a new tread pattern, wider profile and performance compounds. It will be available in XS6+ (extra soft) and S6+ (soft) compounds.
To deal with the expected winter weather in the mountainous special stages around the French alps, competitors will also have access to the all-new DMT-ICE2 winter tyre. With a new directional tread pattern and improved compound, it&rsquo;s available with either 200 metal studs or in unstudded form.
Evans used various configurations of all tyre options during his pre-event test on Friday and comes to event having taken overall victory in WRC 2 in Monte last year.
Rallye Monte Carlo is the traditional season-opener and will see crews flagged off from a glitzy opening ceremony in Casino Square on Thursday evening. Competitors make their way to the rally base in Gap via two special stages. After two full days of racing around Gap, it&rsquo;s back to Monte Carlo for Saturday night and four final day stages on Sunday.
The event is renowned for its unpredictable mountain weather, which can see cars having to tackle snow, ice and dry asphalt &ndash; sometimes all in the same stage. Tyre choice is a careful decision based on many streams of information and is often a compromise for the changing conditions.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Monte Carlo is a challenging event and one where tyres and tyre choices play an integral part. Working alongside our technical partners, we come to the rally with a full range of new products &ndash; all developed with a focus on performance.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great feeling to be back at the top level of the world championship again and Monte Carlo is certainly a tough way to start the series. It&rsquo;s unpredictable, a huge challenge but I&rsquo;m very focused and motivated so really looking forward to getting the action underway.&rdquo;
Tyre Information: List 1 and List 2 Asphalt: DMACK Grippa 225/40R18 DMT-RC22, XS6+ and S6+ Winter: DMACK Grippa 225/40R18 DMT-ICE2, studded and unstudded Maximum for list 1 (WRC 2): 41 Maximum for list 2 (WRC): 43
Event Information Based: Gap, France Start: Monte Carlo, 18.11 on Thursday 19 January Finish: Monte Carlo, 14.00 on Sunday 22 January Stages: 17 stages, 382.65km Longest stage: SS9/11 Lardier et Valenca &ndash; Oze 31.17kmMon, 16 Jan 2017 10:28:00 +0000Evans Joins DMACK In 2017 WRC Campaignhttp://dmacktyres.com/evans-joins-dmack-in-2017-wrc-campaignhttp://dmacktyres.com/evans-joins-dmack-in-2017-wrc-campaignBritish tyre manufacturer DMACK will continue to compete at the pinnacle of world motorsport for the seventh consecutive season, with confirmation that it will contest the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship.
Heading the challenge for the DMACK World Rally Team will be 28-year-old Welshman Elfyn Evans in a 2017-specification Ford Fiesta WRC. Reigning British Rally Champion Evans will be reunited with long-term English co-driver Daniel Barritt &ndash; making it a truly British team.
Evans has had a short but successful partnership with DMACK, lifting the 2016 British Rally Championship title after winning five of the seven rounds and taking overall victory at the Bettega Memorial rally last month.
He will be at the wheel of M-Sport&rsquo;s groundbreaking Ford Fiesta WRC and will be nominated as M-Sport&rsquo;s third points scoring driver when the series kicks off with the iconic Rally Monte Carlo. The pair will finalise their preparations with a pre-event test in France on Friday 13 January.
DMACK will also continue its WRC 2 seven-round programme for the winners of last year&rsquo;s Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. Champion Osian Pryce from Wales will be joined by Finland&rsquo;s Max Vatanen and Northern Irishman Jon Armstrong &ndash; all three sharing the prize drives in an M-Sport Fiesta R5.
The Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy, which has seen DMACK provide the biggest prize in world rallying to the world&rsquo;s best young talent for the past three years, is set to become the FIA Junior WRC this season.
Comprising six rounds of the WRC, drivers from around the world will compete in identical Fiesta R2T cars run by M-Sport &ndash; again battling for the Drive DMACK prize of a full season in WRC 2.
DMACK will compete alongside Michelin as approved WRC tyre manufacturers for the seventh consecutive season. Last year was the firm&rsquo;s most successful campaign, scoring 30 fastest stage times and leading two rallies outright after an intense 15-month period of technical development.
For 2017, DMACK will continue to supply its DMACK Grippa tyre range with performance upgrades to suit both WRC and WRC 2 competitors. The asphalt tyre has a revised tread pattern, profile and compounds while the successful gravel tyre benefits from performance enhancements including a run-flat construction.
Both the Monte Carlo and Sweden winter tyres have been completely redesigned with new tread patterns and studding systems.
DMACK&rsquo;s 2017 season kicks off with Rally Monte Carlo which blasts away from Casino Square in Monaco on Thursday 19 January.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Last year was pivotal in DMACK&rsquo;s history &ndash; from both a performance and technical development aspect. Our small but extremely focused team has made huge strides forward and we&rsquo;re determined to maintain that progression this season.
&ldquo;Elfyn has been a great ambassador for DMACK when dominating the British championship and I&rsquo;m confident his hunger for success will shine through this year.&rdquo;
Elfyn Evans, DMACK WRC driver, said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really excited to be back driving a WRC car again at an exciting period for the sport with the new generation cars &ndash; and I&rsquo;m thankful to DMACK for the opportunity. I&rsquo;ve really enjoyed working with them over the last 12 months and being part of the development of new 2017 products.
&ldquo;Being away from the top level for a season has been really hard, but it&rsquo;s made me more motivated and determined to make the most of this opportunity.&rdquo;Tue, 10 Jan 2017 12:17:00 +0000Victory For Evans And DMACK At Bettega Memorial Rallyhttp://dmacktyres.com/victory-for-evans-and-dmack-at-bettega-memorial-rallyhttp://dmacktyres.com/victory-for-evans-and-dmack-at-bettega-memorial-rallyDMACK British Rally Champion Elfyn Evans rounded off his spectacular season in style with overall victory at this weekend's popular Bettega Memorial Rally at the Bologna Motor Show in Italy.
After two days of intense qualifying heats on the purpose built track, Evans sealed a commanding victory in the final over Kalle Rovanpera (Ford, Pirelli) after beating off competition from World Rally Championship runner-up Thierry Neuville (Hyundai, Michelin) and Alessandro Bettega (Ford, Yokohama).
Evans stormed to victory using DMACK's soft compound GS61 gravel tyres which dominated on the mixed surface track in front of thousands of motorsport fans. At the wheel of a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, he was unbeaten in all the heats and won three races from four in the final.
The weekend was also a huge success for OMPI Racing Tyres, the recently-appointed DMACK dealer for Italy. The firm, headed by former world rally driver Piero Liatti, was instrumental in Evans' attendance at the event and used it to launch their range of DMACK products to competitors in the Italian Rally Championship.
The victory rounded off an impressive season for Evans and DMACK. Together they won the MSA British Rally Championship for both drivers and teams after taking five wins from the seven events.
The Bettega Memorial is held in memory of the legendary Italian rally driver Attilio Bettega who lost his life in a fatal crash during the 1985 Tour de Corse rally. It brings together a number of star drivers in a flat-out sprint where every split second counts and the smallest mistake can wipe away any chance of victory.
DMACK driver Elfyn Evans said: "It's been a great weekend, I've thoroughly enjoyed racing on the track and it's fantastic to come away with the overall trophy. The tyres from DMACK have been ideal here. It's actually quite demanding on tyres and we had the perfect strategy all weekend to cope with both the gravel and asphalt sections."
DMACK managing director Dick Cormack said: "Winning against three other tyre manufacturers is a great way for us to end the season. Elfyn has once again delivered a perfect drive over the two days against some tough competition and really deserves the victory. It's an important result to promote DMACK in the Italian market where we are planning further growth next season."Sun, 11 Dec 2016 17:17:00 +0000DMACK Launches 2017 WRC Tyres And WRC 2 Prize Schemehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-2017-wrc-tyres-and-wrc-2-prize-schemehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-2017-wrc-tyres-and-wrc-2-prize-schemeBuilding on its huge success during the 2016 season, British tyre manufacturer DMACK has launched a completely new range of motorsport tyres for the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Joining Michelin as the only two tyre manufacturers approved by the FIA to supply the WRC in 2017, DMACK&rsquo;s new range is the culmination of a 15-month period of technical development and product progression.
Since partnering with the Avon Motorsport arm of Cooper Tire Europe in 2015, DMACK has embarked on an extensive development programme, which delivered a string of impressive results in 2016. DMACK World Rally Team driver Ott Tanak set fastest times on six separate events this season and finished second overall on Rally Poland and Rally GB.
Building on that platform, DMACK has introduced a range of completely new WRC tyres for next year &ndash; all developed by technical director Fiorenzo Brivio.
For the opening round at Rallye Monte Carlo, competitors will have access to the DMT-RC22 asphalt tyre, featuring a revised tread pattern to improve water dispersion and upgraded with a wider profile to deliver a greater contact footprint. The heavily treaded DMT-W wet tyre is also an option for competitors in the event of heavy rain.
Also available will be the DMT-ICE2 winter asphalt tyre with a new directional tread pattern and stiffer shoulder blocks to provide high lateral stability. The studded version will boast 200 metal pins &ndash; each with a new profile and added to the tyre via a new implanting and bonding technique.
When the series switches to the frozen roads of Rally Sweden in February, DMACK will unveil a new asymmetric tread pattern for its DMG-ICE2 snow tyre. A new stiff compound will provide extremely high stud rigidity and the tyre will again benefit from new stud material, studding technology and bonding system.
DMACK has dominated on gravel this year with the DMG+2 tyre and it will again be available for WRC cars with a number of minor performance revisions including a run-flat construction. Meanwhile an all-new DMG+22 gravel tyre has been designed specifically for WRC 2 cars. It features a tread pattern which results in optimised wear across the tyre, upgraded performance compounds and improved construction to deliver high impact resistance.
As an added bonus for competitors in WRC 2, DMACK has launched a cash prize scheme valued at over &euro;55,000 for competitors using its new products. The top-three DMACK drivers on each event will be awarded &euro;2,500, &euro;1,250 and &euro;625 respectively.
In addition to a full transport, fitting and barcoding service at events, DMACK will also offer technical and media support to competitors and teams &ndash; with technicians available on each event to advise on compound options, optimum pressures and operating temperatures.
DMACK 2017 WRC Range Asphalt: DMACK Grippa DMT-RC22. Size: 225/40-R18. Compounds: Extra soft XS6+, soft S6+, hard H6+.
Monte winter: DMACK Grippa DMT-ICE2. Size: 225/40-R18. Compound: ICE2, available studded and un-studded.
Sweden winter: DMACK Grippa DMG-ICE2. Size: 205/65-R15. Compound: ICE2, studded.
Gravel WRC: DMACK Grippa DMG+2. Size: 215/65-R15. Compounds: Soft GS63, hard GH23.
Gravel WRC2: DMACK Grippa DMG+22. Size: 205/65-R15. Compounds: Soft GS63, hard GH23.
Asphalt Wet: DMACK Grippa DMT-W. Size: 225/40-R18. Compound: Wet W5+.Tue, 06 Dec 2016 12:45:00 +0000Top Aussie Finish Secures Best WRC Season For DMACKhttp://dmacktyres.com/top-aussie-finish-secures-best-wrc-season-for-dmackhttp://dmacktyres.com/top-aussie-finish-secures-best-wrc-season-for-dmackDMACK rounded off a sizzling season in the FIA World Rally Championship with its finest result at this weekend&rsquo;s sun-drenched Rally Australia. Seventh place on the final round capped off an amazing debut season for the DMACK World Rally Team, competing at the very pinnacle of the series alongside teams from manufacturers such as Volkswagen, Hyundai, Citroen and Ford.
The top Australian result saw DMACK&rsquo;s hard compound gravel tyres compete on some of the toughest conditions of the season &ndash; with the 51km Nambucca stage running with ground temperatures over 45 degrees.
But the new British-built gravel tyre range, introduced back in May, was more than fit for the challenge offered by the toughest gravel and dirt roads in the world. Cruelly denied a debut victory after final day dramas in Poland, the DMACK team led three WRC rallies and scored two second overall finishes thanks to Estonians Ott T&auml;nak and Raigo M&otilde;lder.
T&auml;nak went on to set a string of fastest stage times across the remainder of the season&rsquo;s gravel events &ndash; that number topped only by championship winner Sebastien Ogier.
It could have easily been another podium down under this weekend. Piloting his 2016 specification Ford Fiesta RS WRC for the final time, T&auml;nak was in a cool third place after Friday&rsquo;s opening three stages.
But a spin in stage four cost 30 seconds and dropped him back to eighth after losing time in the thick dust. Later in the day he picked up a 40 second penalty for arriving late at a time control &ndash; both mistakes ensuring a chase for the podium was well out of touch.
Rally Australia&rsquo;s three days of action, based around the coastal resort of Coffs Harbour in New South Wales, was another tough way to round off the season. The area&rsquo;s fast, flowing gravel roads run through both open countryside and dense jungle forests.
The high temperatures and unrelenting sunshine made conditions tough for drivers and tyres but DMACK&rsquo;s hard compound GH21 was more than a match for them. Combatting loose gravel and the mix of abrasive and softer clay roads, T&auml;nak used both hard and soft compound options over the weekend to secure DMACK&rsquo;s best performance in Australia.
The action began on Friday with a double loop of four stages around Macksville to the south of Coffs Harbour. Saturday was the toughest day with two passes over the 50.8km Nambucca stage close to Bowraville before the action finished today with five stages to the north.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve finished off a successful and significant season in WRC with a strong performance in Australia. At the start of the year we targetted a podium, but we&rsquo;ve achieved so much more with some superb battles against our great competitors Michelin. Competing on all 13 events this year with our own team fighting at the top has been an amazing experience and provided us with the technical development we need for 2017. I&rsquo;d like to thank Ott, Raigo and all the team at DMACK and M-Sport.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;Apart from the problems on Friday, it was a really enjoyable rally. The stages here are great fun to drive, with some nice, flowing sections. Overall it&rsquo;s been a positive season and we&rsquo;ve worked really hard with the DMACK technicians to move things forward. There have been highs and lows but the progress this year has been impressive.&rdquo;Sun, 20 Nov 2016 10:19:00 +0000DMACK Aims To Be The Wizard Of OZhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-aims-to-be-the-wizard-of-ozhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-aims-to-be-the-wizard-of-ozFresh from a stunning second overall on its home round of the FIA World Rally Championship, DMACK will aim to set another series of fastest stage times on the other side of the world next week.
Rally Australia will see the WRC tyre manufacturer aim to stay on top &lsquo;down under&rsquo; after setting the highest number of unbeaten stage times on a single rally this season.
Estonians Ott T&auml;nak and Raigo M&otilde;lder once again lead the charge for the DMACK World Rally Team in the season-ending finale. Since using their new British-built DMACK gravel tyres, the pair have scored fastest times on every gravel rally this season &ndash; from the hot, abrasive tracks in Sardinia to the muddy Welsh forests.
And, with mixed road conditions in Australia, they will be chasing more top times in their Ford Fiesta RS WRC.
DMACK has nominated its hard compound GH21 to cope with the hard base roads around Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. The fast, flowing stages across the open countryside are often coated with loose gravel &ndash; perhaps handing an advantage to T&auml;nak who is running further down the order.
In stark contrast, some of the Aussie action takes drivers through soft, secluded stages in the jungle. Narrow roads require a more technical approach with dense trees letting in chinks of unexpected sunlight to test a driver&rsquo;s focus.
For the softer roads, and in the case of any rain, T&auml;nak will also have access to the soft compound GS61. In total, WRC crews can use a maximum of 24 tyres over the weekend.
Thursday&rsquo;s Rally Show launches the event before drivers head south on Friday to tackle a double loop of four main stages around Macksville followed by a blast through the super special stages.
Saturday is the toughest day when the 50.8km Nambucca stage is tackled twice while Sunday heads north to Wedding Bells for five final day tests.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It would be great to finish our most successful season with another strong performance on gravel. Both our hard and soft compound tyres have taken fastest times this year and the aim is to continue that performance. The fast stages and road position should suit Ott so we&rsquo;re looking forward to a positive result.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;Rally Australia is a special event and one that I really like. It&rsquo;s a real mix of conditions and a proper challenge. The wide, hard roads are fast and flowing &ndash; really enjoyable to drive on. Then in the forests it&rsquo;s really tricky and you have to be careful, especially with the changes in shade and light. I&rsquo;m looking forward to it.&rdquo;Fri, 11 Nov 2016 14:00:00 +0000DMACK’s British Tyres On Top At Home WRC Rallyhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack--s-british-tyres-on-top-at-home-wrc-rallyhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack--s-british-tyres-on-top-at-home-wrc-rallyThis weekend witnessed a great British success story when DMACK once again proved the world-class pace of its motorsport tyres after chasing overall victory and collecting 12 fastest stage times on its home round of the FIA World Rally Championship.
On their way to a stunning second overall, Dayinsure Wales Rally GB was the sixth event this season where DMACK World Rally Team&rsquo;s Ott T&auml;nak and Raigo M&otilde;lder topped the time sheets. The result demonstrated the huge step forward in performance DMACK has taken with its new British designed and built rally tyres.
At the wheel of their Ford Fiesta RS WRC, T&auml;nak and M&otilde;lder scored the most amount of fastest times in a single rally this season as they equalled their and DMACK&rsquo;s best ever WRC finish. They finished just 10.2 seconds behind world champion Sebastien Ogier.
The penultimate round of the WRC was one of the toughest editions in recent history for tyre manufacturers, with extended competitive sections and lack of mid-leg servicing making it a bigger challenge than normal. The Welsh forest stages also provided demanding conditions with muddy tracks and slippery gravel littered with rocks creating an arduous test.
However, DMACK&rsquo;s range of motorsport tyres mastered the conditions better than their competitors and, using this advantage, T&auml;nak was the fastest driver on Saturday&rsquo;s mammoth day of action. Drivers had to tackle 100km of tough competitive stages on the same set of tyres, around 25 per cent more than the normal maximum distance.
His soft compound DMACK GS61 tyres revelled in the conditions, especially on the difficult second pass through the stages. When other drivers were struggling for grip on the muddy and polished forest roads, T&auml;nak cruised through to set a trio of fastest stage times.
Despite being slowed a little on Friday&rsquo;s opening stages through the famous Myherin, Sweet Lamb and Hafren forests when he complained of something feeling loose in the rear suspension, T&auml;nak blasted through today&rsquo;s final six tests, setting fastest times on each one and winning the final power stage for the first time.
Alongside the DMACK World Rally Team, all previous winners of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy competed in a trio of Fiesta R5s. In WRC 2, Norwegians Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan were the top Fiesta runners in fifth after a solid and positive weekend in Wales. Local stars, and winners of the 2016 Trophy, Osian Pryce and Dale Furniss retired on the final day with a broken radiator, but only after setting a number of fast times over the weekend.
Meanwhile Estonian Sander P&auml;rn and James Morgan from Wales were seventh in the class after a consistent and improved drive.
The event was once again based at Deeside in north Wales. After a Thursday evening ceremonial start in Colwyn Bay, crews headed south early on Friday morning to tackle a four-stage loop, including the Hafren test &ndash; the longest of the event at 35.14km.
Saturday hosted 99km of action across eight stages to the west including famous names like Gartheiniog and Dyfi before Sunday brought the event to a close with six stages and the finish podium celebrations in Llandudno.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;This result is extremely significant for DMACK, with our British tyres leading the world-class field on our home WRC rally. We targeted this event and the plan worked perfectly. We&rsquo;ve demonstrated to manufacturers and competitors just how much we&rsquo;ve progressed this season and it&rsquo;s the result of a huge amount of work from our small but committed team, and of course a stunning performance from Ott and Raigo.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;It was a great weekend. After a few issues on Friday we had a very clean run through all the stages and I really enjoyed being back in the battle fighting for the lead. The stages yesterday afternoon and today were very slippery but I think that was the place where the DMACK tyres were working the best and we had the advantage. We didn't have the best road position but obviously we benefited from having the best tyres.&rdquo;Mon, 31 Oct 2016 09:25:00 +0000DMACK Aiming For Home Success On GB Gravelhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-aiming-for-home-success-on-gb-gravelhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-aiming-for-home-success-on-gb-gravelDMACK is targeting another top gravel result on its home round of the FIA World Rally Championship next weekend at the penultimate event of the season, Wales Rally GB.
However, this year&rsquo;s UK round of the WRC is set to be one of the toughest in recent history, with new stages, significantly extended competitive sections and lack of mid-leg servicing making it a huge challenge for drivers and tyres alike.
DMACK World Rally Team&rsquo;s Ott T&auml;nak and Raigo M&otilde;lder are relishing the challenge. After DMACK introduced a new range of gravel tyres in May, they have scored 16 fastest stage times and led events in Poland and Finland in their Ford Fiesta RS WRC.
They will use the same DMG+2 GS61 tyres to try and top the time-sheets again in Wales, with a maximum quantity of 22 tyres permitted to cover the 330km competitive route. And that&rsquo;s a route which takes in some classic forest stages across Mid-Wales.
The task is made even more difficult as organisers have not permitted any mid-leg service opportunities on Friday and Saturday. A mid-leg remote tyre change zone will give crews the chance to bolt on new rubber on Friday but on Saturday they will face nearly 100km of stages on the same set of tyres &ndash; that&rsquo;s 25 per cent more than the normal maximum distance.
Those tyres will have to cope with Rally GB&rsquo;s traditionally tricky roads. The forest stages are famed for muddy, slippery surfaces mixed with hard, rocky sections. While the event is running a few weeks earlier than normal this year, the wicked Welsh weather can still be unpredictable with rain, hail and fog not uncommon.
Alongside T&auml;nak, the Drive DMACK Trophy Team has also entered three crews in Fiesta R5 cars &ndash; every winner of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy to date. Sander P&auml;rn and James Morgan were victors in 2014, Norwegians Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan won in 2015 and Welsh duo Osian Pryce and Dale Furniss were crowned champions last week in Spain.
The event is again based at Deeside in north Wales but, with a number of new stages and current tests run in reverse direction to before, it will have a distinctly fresh feel with drivers making new pace-notes.
After a Thursday evening ceremonial start in Colwyn Bay, crews head south early on Friday morning to tackle a four-stage loop, including the Hafren test &ndash; the longest of the event at 35.14km. It&rsquo;s a mammoth day and, with 178km of action, boasts more than half of the event total.
Saturday hosts over 99km across eight stages to the west including famous names like Gartheiniog and Dyfi. Sunday brings the event to a close with six stages before the finish podium celebrations in Llandudno.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Wales Rally GB always throws up a huge challenge but the lack of servicing and long competitive sections will make next week&rsquo;s event even tougher. However, as we&rsquo;ve seen already this season, our gravel products are extremely competitive so I&rsquo;m sure we can expect more top times from Ott.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;The Rally GB stages are great fun to drive and this year&rsquo;s event will see us make quite a few new pace-notes as many stages are either new or reversed &ndash; and that&rsquo;s always a challenge. We are back on gravel so the aim is like always &ndash; to go as fast as possible and be competitive like the other gravel rallies this year.&rdquo;Fri, 21 Oct 2016 14:30:00 +0000DMACK Goes Top Despite Rain In Spainhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-goes-top-despite-rain-in-spainhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-goes-top-despite-rain-in-spainBoth DMACK and its top driver Ott T&auml;nak racked up best-ever finishes in Spain and led an FIA World Rally Championship event for the third time this season after blasting through the opening street stage of Rally de Espa&ntilde;a to top the day one overnight classification.
The Estonian, along with co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder, was top of the class on the 3.2km blast through the streets of Barcelona in his DMACK World Rally Team Ford Fiesta RS WRC. Proving the recent performance improvements of DMACK&rsquo;s rally tyres, they put on a world-class act in front of thousands of fans.
The only mixed-surface round of the series, Spain&rsquo;s WRC encounter then switched to a loop of three gravel stages south of the rally base at Salou. But torrential rain had turned the gravel roads into muddy tracks and DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 tyre had to cope with standing water, rutted roads and slimy mud.
This environment, however, was not unfamiliar to DMACK. Back in 2012, the young firm clinched its first ever WRC stage win in Spain in similar conditions. T&auml;nak used the soft compound GS61 tyre for the entire day in a bid to find traction through the slippery surface.
After six stages, with just a mid-day tyre change opportunity, the team&rsquo;s M-Sport mechanics then set about switching the Fiesta to Tarmac specification during a specially-extended 75 minute service &ndash; changing suspension, brakes and tyres ahead of two days of asphalt action.
The race moved to the fast, flowing circuit-like roads around Tarragona where T&auml;nak used the DMT-RC2 asphalt tyre to good effect. Saturday&rsquo;s eight stages in contrasting warm, dry conditions saw T&auml;nak move up to seventh overall.
Sunday&rsquo;s final four tests, consisting of two passes through a two-stage loop of traditional Tarmac roads, were completed successfully with T&auml;nak edging up into sixth place. He secured his and DMACK&rsquo;s best overall result in Spain.
Meanwhile in WRC 2, it was a mix of highs and lows for the Drive DMACK Trophy Team. Norwegians Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan had powered their Fiesta R5 up to third overall on their first Tarmac rally in the category. But a mistake on Saturday forced them into retirement before they returned to get valuable experience today and finish seventh.
Team-mates Sander P&auml;rn and James Morgan also retired on Friday after going off the road but spent time improving their pace and benefitting from two days on asphalt to fine-tune their driving technique on these flowing roads. They ended up eighth in WRC 2.
It was also the final round of the 2016 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. Jon Armstrong and Noel O&rsquo;Sullivan took the final two prize drives after winning the event but it was Welshmen Osian Pryce and Dale Furniss who sealed the championship title.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve seen unpredictable weather in Spain before and luckily we have a strong gravel tyre which has delivered in these conditions. The asphalt stages were difficult again but we&rsquo;re progressing on every event and Ott delivered another strong drive to score his best, and DMACK&rsquo;s top result in Spain.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;It was a very tricky event, especially with the rain on Friday, and it was good to lead it briefly at the start. I enjoyed the Tarmac roads, the stages are really nice and flowing here and it&rsquo;s a good feeling when things are going well. Sixth place means solid points again and we&rsquo;ve picked up more important experience for next season.&rdquo;
Marius Aasen said: &ldquo;Our rally started quite good on the gravel and I was happy with the job as the conditions were really tricky &ndash; but we made some good tyre choices. The Tarmac started well and we had moved up to third in WRC 2, which I was happy with. This was my first Tarmac rally in the R5 car so it was important to get experience and make progress.&rdquo;
Sander P&auml;rn said: &ldquo;Unfortunately we retied on Friday as we damaged the car, which was a shame as I really wanted to have a strong day on gravel. But it was good to be able to make some progress on Tarmac. I haven&rsquo;t driven for a long time on Tarmac and I&rsquo;m always trying to fine-tune the technique required to be fast on these wide flowing stages.&rdquo;Sun, 16 Oct 2016 14:12:00 +0000DMACK Beats the Rain in Spain http://dmacktyres.com/dmack-beats-the-rain-in-spainhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-beats-the-rain-in-spainDMACK led its third FIA World Rally Championship event this season after Ott Tanak blasted through the opening 3.2km street stage in Barcelona 2.7 seconds faster than anyone else. The Estonian, along with co-driver Raigo Molder, were top of the class as they stole the show in front of thousands of fans who lined up at spectator stage in Montjuic.
The result sees DMACK hold a slender lead going into tomorrow's six gravel stages. It's set to be a tough first full day with no service opportunities, just a remote zone to change tyres.
After leading until the final stage in Poland and at Rally Finland, Tanak's performance sees DMACK hold the top spot for the third time this season, helped by its new range of British-built rally tyres.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: "We've made significant progress this season and this is another great drive from Ott. The mixed weather conditions and difficult stages will ensure a tough weekend but it's fantastic to be at the top of the overall classification overnight."Thu, 13 Oct 2016 19:08:00 +0000Dual Surface Challenge For DMACK In Spainhttp://dmacktyres.com/dual-surface-challenge-for-dmack-in-spainhttp://dmacktyres.com/dual-surface-challenge-for-dmack-in-spainFIA World Rally Championship tyre manufacturer DMACK will face a complex challenge at next week&rsquo;s Rally de Espa&ntilde;a. The only mixed surface round of the series will see the firm offer a total of six different tyre options for the Salou-based event.
For DMACK World Rally Team drivers Ott T&auml;nak and Raigo M&otilde;lder, the focus will be on delivering another sterling performance across the event &ndash; especially on the opening day&rsquo;s gravel action where they were strong last year.
Taking in a three-stage loop, which is repeated with only a brief opportunity to change tyres, the opening gravel day in Spain is a tough way to kick off the event. It includes the longest stage of the rally, the 38.95km run through Terra Alta.
T&auml;nak will have a choice of two DMACK compounds, GH21 hard and GS61 soft, for the gravel stages where tyre management is set to be a crucial factor next week. Spain&rsquo;s rocky roads demand a high amount of puncture resistance and high ambient temperatures in the hills above Salou can also test tyre durability.
The team&rsquo;s M-Sport mechanics will then have an extended service to switch T&auml;nak&rsquo;s Ford Fiesta RS WRC to asphalt specification and bolt on DMT-RC2 Tarmac tyres &ndash; with hard H5+, soft S5+ and the emergency wet pattern permitted.
The Estonian pair then face two days of tough Tarmac action on the region&rsquo;s flowing, circuit-like roads, where drivers need to be smooth and precise in order to pick the racing line through sweeping corners.
Two DMACK-entered crews will also compete in WRC 2. Norwegians Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan will continue their prize drive season at the wheel of a Fiesta R5 after having sealed the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy here last season. Sander P&auml;rn and James Morgan rejoin the team for the dual-surface challenge.
While the action is based in the hills above Salou, Rally de Espa&ntilde;a kicks off in the centre of Barcelona on Thursday evening with a street-stage blast through the spectator special in Montjuic. Overall there are 19 stages over 321.08km before crews cross the finish podium back in Salou on Sunday.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Spain is a tricky and complex event from a tyre perspective and sometimes the weather can be unpredictable. We have strong experience from this event but it always provides a stern challenge.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;I enjoy this rally a lot and we had a strong start last year on the gravel stages which can be pretty rough and demanding. The Tarmac roads are nice to drive, flowing stages where you need to have a nice driving line and feeling. It&rsquo;s a great challenge and there&rsquo;s always lots of think about, but I enjoy this type of event.&rdquo;
Marius Aasen said: &ldquo;Spain is one of my absolute favourite events of the season. It will be my third time doing this rally and I really like the mixed surface format. I&rsquo;ve got a good feeling with the R5 car on gravel, but it will be my first time on Tarmac with this car, so that will for sure be a challenge. I want to show some more speed during the rally.&rdquo;
Sander P&auml;rn said: &ldquo;I have good memories from Spain and my aim this year is to finish the rally and improve stage by stage as it is my first time on Tarmac with the R5 car. The mixed surface rally is better for me than just the full Tarmac event and I like that the rally starts with gravel as it&rsquo;s a more familiar surface for me.&rdquo;Fri, 07 Oct 2016 10:34:00 +0000Title Decider As DMACK Fiesta Finale Hits Spainhttp://dmacktyres.com/title-decider-as-dmack-fiesta-finale-hits-spainhttp://dmacktyres.com/title-decider-as-dmack-fiesta-finale-hits-spainDrive DMACK Fiesta Trophy pacesetters will aim to capture the crowning glory as a super season reaches a fantastic finale in Spain. There have been thrills and spills as pretenders to the Trophy throne have shown off their skills in front of large crowds across Europe during 2016.
But a competitive campaign for the crews boils down to the year-ending RallyRACC-Rally De Espana next weekend. Based in the Costa Daurada holiday resort of Salou, south of Barcelona, it is the only mixed surface encounter of the calendar.
Welshman Osian Pryce is currently in pole position to lift the title. Pryce, 23, and co-driver Dale Furniss sit top of the Trophy table with 98 points. They chalked up race victories at the season opener in Portugal and also last time out in Germany.
Just 14 points behind them is 26-year-old Max Vatanen. He is the only driver to have also competed in the DDFT in 2014 and 2015, and is aiming to make it third time lucky. Vatanen has one rally win under his belt this year having triumphed at his home event in Finland.
Sixteen points behind Vatanen is Jon Armstrong, of Northern Ireland, who tasted victory at round three in Poland. Armstrong, aged 21, made a one-off Trophy appearance in Spain last year in a privately-entered Fiesta, and will hope to build on that experience.
Norwegian Oscar Solberg, 20, is seeking to bolster his points tally, while 19-year-old Gus Greensmith, of England, will look to end his campaign with a win. Competition will also be fierce among rookies Karan Patel, aged 25, of Kenya, Frenchman Nicola Ciamin, 18, and 30-year-old Jakub Brzezinski, from Poland. All have gained a great deal of experience throughout the season.
There is an added incentive for all the competitors next weekend, with the final pair of 2017 WRC 2 prize drives up for grabs. These will be awarded to the duo with the biggest points haul from the final two rallies of the season in Germany and Spain. Pryce and Vatanen have already each netted a pair of prize drives for 2017 following their points-scoring performances earlier in the season.
Two additional drivers will make guest appearances in the final round. They are the Belgian, Guillaume de M&eacute;vius, who featured in the corresponding race last year, and Juuso Nordgren, who made his WRC debut at Rally Finland as part of the Future Rally Star of Finland prize drive.
RallyRACC-Rally De Espana opens on Thursday night. It gets under way with a street stage in the Montju&iuml;c area of Barcelona, on roads that hosted the Spanish Grand Prix F1 race on four occasions. Friday sees a full day on gravel, after which the dedicated team of M-Sport mechanics will have an extended service to switch the cars' specifications for a two-day asphalt assault. This includes changing suspension components and adding bigger brakes. To cope with the conditions on two surfaces, crews will use both gravel and asphalt DMACK tyres.
Staged by WRC tyre manufacturer DMACK along with M-Sport, the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy provides a training ground for budding world rally stars of the future. The crews are competing in identical Ford Fiesta R2 cars - powered by Ford's 1.0 EcoBoost turbo-charged engine.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Spain always produces an exciting climax to the season as crews fight for the final title and championship places. Racing on both surfaces is a fitting way to decide the winner and I&rsquo;m looking forward to another big battle.&rdquo;
Malcolm Wilson, M-Sport managing director, said: &ldquo;As we approach the season finale, I can honestly say that this has been one of the best seasons to date - with some very talented youngsters coming to the fore. The final round provides the biggest challenge yet. With both gravel and asphalt stages, the crews will have to prove their ability on both surfaces and, with a big battle for both the championship title and the last pair of prize drives, I think we've got a very exciting weekend to look forward to.&rdquo;
Driver Quotes
Nicolas Ciamin from France said: &ldquo;The two surfaces will make it interesting, switching from one surface to another immediately is never easy. I&rsquo;ve competed on two events since Germany to get more experience and I&rsquo;ve made good progress on Tarmac. It&rsquo;s been a tough season but a huge experience and my focus is on getting to the finish ramp next weekend.&rdquo;
Gus Greensmith from England said: &ldquo;The mixed surfaces always offer up a new challenge. You have to adjust your braking points, racing lines and your perception of how fast you can go. We&rsquo;ve had a two-day test and I&rsquo;m looking forward to the event. The Pratdip stage on Sunday is, in my opinion, one of the best stages in the whole WRC series.&rdquo;
Juuso Nordgren from Finland said: &ldquo;The mixed surfaces will be a big challenge, but especially for me as this will be my first time on Tarmac. We haven&rsquo;t had a chance to do many test kilometres so my aim for this rally is really to see the finish line and improve on the stage times. It&rsquo;s also my first rally abroad so I&rsquo;m really excited for the challenge.&rdquo;
Karan Patel from Kenya said: &ldquo;I feel it will be challenging as it will be my second time driving on Tarmac, however, I&rsquo;m confident that I will further improve my pace from Germany. I have been working hard on improving my stamina and focus levels using different techniques and I&rsquo;m really aiming for my best result in Spain.&rdquo;
Osian Pryce from Wales said: &ldquo;I think Saturday will be interesting, it will be the first day after making the transition from gravel to Tarmac, so this could be an opportunity to make up some time. I&rsquo;ve spent time working on my Tarmac driving technique, hopefully this will help on the smooth roads of Spain but our aim is definitely to win the final prize drives and hopefully the overall championship.&rdquo;
Oscar Solberg from Norway said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really looking forward to it and the challenge of driving on Tarmac and gravel. We done a rally in Germany and made progress with car set-up and dampers. I&rsquo;ve made very good progress this season and it was my aim to finish all the events and get the experience.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen from Finland said: &ldquo;It will be fun to race on both surfaces. I will drive on a French gravel rally the weekend before so I&rsquo;m hoping to be in good shape and up to speed. I&rsquo;m going to give it my best shot and aim to win the event. Spain is a great rally and I&rsquo;m really looking forward to next week.&rdquo;
Rally RACC Rally de Espana Based: Salou, Spain Start: 13.15 Thursday 13 October Finish: 13.41 Sunday 16 October Stages: 19 stages, 321.08 km Longest stage: SS4/7 Terra Alta 38.95 km Surface: Mixed, gravel and asphalt Tyres: Gravel, DMACK DMG2 175/70R15 G42. Asphalt, DMACK DMT-RC 195/50R16 T51 and W3. Maximum permitted 22.
Trophy Classification After Round 4 1. Osian Pryce / Dale Furniss 98 2. Max Vatanen / Maxime Vilmot 84 3. Jon Armstrong / Noel O&rsquo;Sullivan Rookie 68 4. Bernardo Sousa / Hugo Magalhaes 47 5. Oscar Solberg / Patrik Barth Rookie 34 6. Nicolas Ciamin / Thibault de la Haye Rookie 32 7. Gus Greensmith / Alex Gelsomino 31 8. Jakub Brzeziński / Jakub Gerber Rookie 31 9. Karan Patel / Phil Hall Rookie 12 10. Dillon Van Way / Andrew Edwards Rookie 10Fri, 07 Oct 2016 10:12:00 +0000DMACK Completes Corsican Asphalt Challengehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-completes-corsican-asphalt-challengehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-completes-corsican-asphalt-challengeDMACK tackled the arduous asphalt conditions on the stunning Mediterranean island of Corsica for the first time this weekend and a solid performance saw DMACK World Rally Team's Ott T&auml;nak equal his best finish on the Tour de Corse.
Round 11 of the FIA World Rally Championship saw the final all-Tarmac event take in a tough itinerary covering the full length of the iconic island, where DMACK's DMT-RC2 tyre improved in performance on the firm's debut outing in Corsica.
With limited experience on asphalt, DMACK played its joker to introduce a new range of tyres at Rally Germany in August. They were immediately on the pace and helped T&auml;nak set top-three stage times. While the conditions in Corsica were much tougher, with each special stage boasting an unrelenting series of corners, T&auml;nak finished 10th overall and DMACK came away with important technical data to move forward for next season.
T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder led the team charge in their Ford Fiesta RS WRC on an event which delivered a challenging format. Each day featured two passes over an extra-long stage with limited service opportunities helping to focus drivers' attention.
The scenic mountain passes, famed for their continuous corners and lack of straights, delivered the expected challenge. Narrow roads are often lined with rocks on one side and steep drops on the other, leaving no room for error.
And the surface changes frequently. From wide flowing roads with new Tarmac to narrow bumpy tracks over old Corsican roads - worn away after years of rally action.
That created a demanding event for tyres with DMACK drivers able to use the soft compound S5+ and hard H5+ during the weekend.
The opening action on Friday took place around Ajaccio before crews moved to the service park in Bastia where a two stage loop was tackled twice on Saturday. Sunday saw a long drive south to the finish in Porto Vecchio, taking in two stages along the way &ndash; including a 53.78km pass over Antisanti- Poggio di Nazza.
In preparation for next season, and armed with crucial performance data from Germany and Corsica, DMACK will undertake an important asphalt test later this month as its works to upgrade specifications for 2017.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It was the first time we've competed in Corsica and it was always going to be a challenge to fight with Michelin who have years of experience on these technical roads and surfaces. Ott matched his result from last year and we've come away with experience that you only gain from competition at this level.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak, DMACK World Rally Team driver, said: &ldquo;It was a difficult weekend and we weren't able to push for a higher result but it was important to complete all the stages and get the experience for next season. These roads are very specialised and now at least we have more knowledge for 2017.&rdquo;Mon, 03 Oct 2016 08:11:00 +0000Corsican Competition Debut For DMACKhttp://dmacktyres.com/corsican-competition-debut-for-dmackhttp://dmacktyres.com/corsican-competition-debut-for-dmackThe DMACK World Rally Team is set to tackle the daunting challenge of Tour de Corse next week when the arduous asphalt action on the Mediterranean island sees the team contest round 11 of the FIA World Rally Championship for the first time.
Buoyed by a huge step forward in the performance of its newly-launched range of WRC asphalt tyres, DMACK will be aiming for a solid result on its competitive debut on the iconic island.
Ott T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder will lead the team charge in their Ford Fiesta RS WRC. The pair set top-three stage times in Germany last month with a revised version of DMACK&rsquo;s DMT-RC2 asphalt tyres. And they will be hoping to build on that success as the action takes in all corners of Corsica.
The scene is set for a unique challenge. Each day features an extra-long stage through scenic mountain landscapes and, with narrow roads often lined by rocks and steep drops, there&rsquo;s absolutely no room for error.
It&rsquo;s a demanding event for tyres. Drivers will face a number of surface changes during each stage with abrasive roads and a multitude of corners delivering a challenge for DMACK&rsquo;s rubber.
Competitors will have the soft compound S5+ and hard H5+ available during the weekend and, should there be a huge deluge of rain similar to last year&rsquo;s event, there&rsquo;s also the option of the emergency wet pattern W5+ tyre to improve safety.
With the service park based in Bastia in the north-east corner of the island, the French round of the WRC starts from Ajaccio on Friday morning. It&rsquo;s a baptism of fire with an opening 49.72km stage and two loops of two stages without any mid-day service.
Saturday&rsquo;s action moves closer to Bastia but still features two passes over the 53.72km La Porta &ndash; Valle di Rostino test. Sunday sees a long drive south to the finish in Porto Vecchio taking in two stages along the way &ndash; including a 53.78 pass over Antisanti- Poggio di Nazza.
There are considerable changes to this year&rsquo;s edition and with 20 per cent more mileage, the rally boasts 10 stages and 390.92km of timed action.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s our first competitive outing in Corsica and we are expecting it to be a demanding event. However, we were pleased with the performance in Germany and are aiming to build on that. The event can throw up a real mix of conditions and surfaces so we are looking forward to the challenge.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak, DMACK World Rally Team driver, said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really looking forward to the rally as I struggled here last year and I&rsquo;m determined to go back, do things differently and improve. It&rsquo;s a big challenge, a proper event and for sure we need a couple of rallies like this in the championship. It will be difficult and the long stages really will be a challenge.&rdquo;Mon, 26 Sep 2016 08:07:00 +0000DMACK Team Crowned Champions With Manx Victoryhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-team-crowned-champions-with-manx-victoryhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-team-crowned-champions-with-manx-victoryDMACK stamped its authority on the MSA British Rally Championship when another dominant performance on the final round of the series saw it seal a stunning one-two victory on Rally Isle of Man.
After clinching the championship title on the previous event, Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry rounded off a super season with their fifth victory from seven rallies. They finished a mere 5.9 seconds ahead of team-mates Mark Higgins and Darren Garrod after a nail-biting, three-day battle. Both crews took wins on 16 of the event&rsquo;s 20 special stages.
The double podium result was more than enough to ensure the DMACK team lifted the BRC Teams' Championship trophy, in addition to DMACK runners winning the overall, BRC1, BRC2 and Junior BRC classes.
To top-off a perfect performance, Matt Edwards' fine fifth place overall helped ensure five DMACK-equipped drivers finished in the top-10, while Donnie MacDonald was overall winner of the Rally Isle of Man National Rally.
Rally Isle of Man is one of the toughest Tarmac challenges in the series and runs on the flat-out Manx roads and lanes across the Island. Competitors used DMACK&rsquo;s range of DMT-RC2 asphalt tyres in medium M5 and hard H5 compounds in the dry conditions to deliver rally-winning performance.
In their Autotek-prepared Ford Fiesta R5, Evans and Parry were early leaders after winning two stages when the event kicked off from Douglas on Thursday evening.
Going fastest on four more stages and building up a 38 second advantage, they hit trouble on Friday evening when a broken front driveshaft saw the pair limp through the final two tests of the day, dropping 55 seconds and falling back to second place.
Competing on his home rally, and with unrivalled experience of the stages, five-time rally winner and triple BRC champion Higgins was also on a mission. Despite it being his Tarmac debut in the Fiesta, he and Garrod went on a charge and snapped up the lead after Evans' problems.
The dominant DMACK crews set up a nail-biting climax with just 0.1 seconds separating the pair going into the final loop of two stages. Evans edged ahead by 8.4 seconds with a stunning time on the penultimate test and, despite a last-stage push from Higgins, he cruised through to the top step of the podium.
Matt Edwards and Will Rogers put in their most impressive asphalt drive of the season to finish fifth with Rob Duggan and Ger Conway taking the Junior BRC win and ninth overall.
Elfyn Evans said: &ldquo;Taking victory is the icing on the cake, not only for me but the whole DMACK team. The reason for coming here was to seal the teams&rsquo; championship but I wanted to take the fight to Mark and win the event. It tops off a great year in the BRC and a fine reward to DMACK and the whole team for their hard work in 2016. To win on stages where Mark has so much local knowledge was hard but it was a very enjoyable battle.&rdquo;
Mark Higgins said: &ldquo;It was a great event and I was really pleased to see that I could be back on a rally-winning pace after such a long lay-off and on my first time with the Fiesta R5 on Tarmac. It was a fantastic result for DMACK and the Autotek team and I want to thank them for giving me the opportunity. Racing in dry conditions for three days here is a real pleasure and it was great that we could be part of the battle for the win.&rdquo;
Glenn Patterson, DMACK British Rally Team manager, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had the perfect end to an extremely successful season. Winning on both gravel and asphalt, and across the full range of classes, shows we have the most competitive products for all competitors in the UK. The fight for the win was intense and both drivers worked extremely hard all weekend to secure a dream result for DMACK.&rdquo;
BRC Championship Summary
Overall Championship 1.Elfyn Evans / Craig Parry (DMACK) 2. Tom Cave / James Morgan (Michelin) 3. Jonathan Greer / Kirsty Riddick (Pirelli)
BRC2 1. Matt Edwards / Will Rogers (DMACK)
Junior BRC 1. Rob Duggan / Ger Conway (DMACK)
Teams' Championship 1. DMACK British Rally Team (DMACK) 2. CA1 Sport (Pirelli) 3. Vauxhall Motorsport (DMACK)
National Rally Cup 1. Robert Blomberg / Lars Andersson (Michelin) 2. D MacDonald / A Falconer (DMACK)
&nbsp;Tue, 20 Sep 2016 10:42:00 +0000Fastest Manx Man Joins DMACK British Championshttp://dmacktyres.com/fastest-manx-man-joins-dmack-british-championshttp://dmacktyres.com/fastest-manx-man-joins-dmack-british-championsThis year&rsquo;s MSA British Rally Champions, Welsh duo Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry, will be joined by the fastest Manx man on four wheels when the DMACK British Rally Team tackles the final round of the series next week.
Mark Higgins and Darren Garrod will join the newly-crowned champions for Rally Isle of Man &ndash; the island where triple BRC champion Higgins stamped his authority as the fastest driver earlier this year.
He smashed his own TT lap record for a car, setting an awesome average speed of 128.7mph around the world famous course in June. And the James Bond stunt driver will be aiming to challenge the BRC&rsquo;s leading drivers for a sixth victory on his home round of the championship next week.
Higgins will be piloting a Palletforce-backed Ford Fiesta R5 for the first time on Tarmac when the event kicks off from Douglas on Thursday evening, and he completed a systems check and seat-fitting at M-Sport on Thursday in preparation. Higgins acknowledges it will take a few stages to reach the pace of the championship regulars but hopes his experience of the Manx roads will help bridge the gap.
While the championship pressure may be off for Evans and Parry, after sealing the title with a dominant victory on the Ulster Rally last month, the pair are still chasing a fifth win this season in their Autotek-run Fiesta R5.
Evans has only competed on the event once previously but he&rsquo;s hoping to master the bumpy lanes and high-speed roads that the rally traditionally includes.
All DMACK-equipped competitors will have access to the same DMT-RC2 range which sealed a dominant victory in Ulster &ndash; mastering wet, dry and muddy asphalt roads. After clinching the BRC1, BRC2 and Junior BRC titles, DMACK now has its focus on the final major remaining accolade, the BRC championship for teams, which it leads by 23 points.
Rally Isle of Man is based at the TT Grandstand in Douglas and gets into gear at 7pm on Thursday evening with a mile-long blast along the sea front promenade before crews tackle two evening stages.
Friday offers six timed tests stretching the length of the island including famous runs through Druidale and Round Table &ndash; often made difficult by fog and mist blown in across the Irish Sea.
The rally draws to a close on Saturday with another six stages, culminating with the 13.15-mile Classic test which finishes in front of the TT Grandstand.
Elfyn Evans said: &ldquo;Despite having only competed once before, I really enjoy the stages on the Isle of Man. There are some classic roads and a real mix of characteristics &ndash; from narrow and bumpy to fast, flowing and wide. With the drivers&rsquo; championship sewn up, our focus is on the teams&rsquo; championship and helping to secure another title for DMACK.&rdquo;
Mark Higgins said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really looking forward to the event and it&rsquo;s great to see it return to a classic three-day format. It will be a challenge and take me a while to settle in to driving the car on Tarmac for the first time, but it&rsquo;s exciting to be competing against so much competition. There are six guys who could win the rally and I&rsquo;m hoping to be one of them by the end of the weekend.&rdquo;Fri, 09 Sep 2016 14:03:00 +0000Perfect Progress As DMACK Ramps Up Tarmac Pacehttp://dmacktyres.com/perfect-progress-as-dmack-ramps-up-tarmac-pacehttp://dmacktyres.com/perfect-progress-as-dmack-ramps-up-tarmac-paceDMACK celebrated a huge step forward in the performance of its Tarmac tyres on some of the FIA World Rally Championship&rsquo;s most difficult sealed surface stages. Despite a fierce battle for the lead of ADAC Rallye Deutschland, DMACK&rsquo;s Ott T&auml;nak set top-three stage times and ran consistently inside the top-five for much of the tough event.
DMACK played its joker before the rally to introduce an all-new specification of the DMT-RC2 Tarmac tyre. After an intense period of testing and technical development, the soft compound S5+ and hard H5+ were nominated for the rest of the season alongside a new wet tread W5+ tyre to improve safety in the rain.
Estonians T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder were confident right from the start of the Trier-based event. The opening day&rsquo;s tests were held in narrow, technical vineyard roads overlooking the Mosel river and they were on pace immediately &ndash; settling into fifth place overall.
They continued that form on day two as the event headed towards the infamous Baumholder military ranges and set times inside the top-three &ndash; demonstrating a giant leap forward in performance of the new rubber.
The pace was maintained throughout mixed conditions and when rain turned roads slippery and made grip levels inconsistent. T&auml;nak looked set to improve even further but an alternator problem in his Ford Fiesta RS WRC sidelined the charging driver after the arduous run through Panzerplatte &ndash; a stage which featured almost 100 junctions in 40.8km.
Rejoining for the final four stages today, T&auml;nak confirmed the perfect progress and was impressed at the leap forward in competitiveness of the tyre. He&rsquo;s hoping to be on the pace once again as the championship sticks to asphalt for the Rallye de France at the end of September.
Rallye Deutschland was again based in Trier close to the Luxembourg border and saw crews tackle 306 km of action over 18 stages before finishing back at the Porta Nigra UNESCO world heritage site.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;Our technical and development team has been working hard to improve the asphalt tyre range and, as we&rsquo;ve seen with our gravel products, it&rsquo;s really starting to pay off. The performance gains mark a major milestone for DMACK and really gives us a major boost in our quest to supply a manufacturer next season.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak, DMACK World Rally Team driver, said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m quite impressed with the new tyres and it&rsquo;s a big step forward with performance. We had a good feeling right from the beginning and decided to have a push. On the dry stages everything was good, working well and that allowed us to set some very good times. It&rsquo;s certainly a positive step for the future.&rdquo;Tue, 23 Aug 2016 11:01:00 +0000 Evans And DMACK Crowned British Rally Championshttp://dmacktyres.com/evans-and-dmack-crowned-british-rally-championshttp://dmacktyres.com/evans-and-dmack-crowned-british-rally-championsDMACK drivers Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry were crowned 2016 MSA British Rally Champions after sealing a commanding victory on a difficult Ulster Rally. The Welsh pair celebrated their fourth overall rally win from five finishes to move into an unbeatable position in the series with one round still remaining.
Evans, from Dolgellau in mid-Wales, followed in the footsteps of his father Gwyndaf &ndash; who won the British Rally Championship exactly 20 years ago. Using DMACK&rsquo;s range of recently launched Tarmac rally tyres, he and Parry finished over a minute ahead of the competition after winning half of the 14 demanding special stages.
The championship victory was the highlight of a dominant season for DMACK, after winning on both gravel and Tarmac against opposition from three other tyre manufacturers.
Based in Londonderry, the Ulster Rally took in a range of dirty and slippery country rounds and mountain passes. But the mixed and constantly changing weather conditions meant that the road conditions ranged from dry to full wet with gravel and mud making them treacherously slippery.
The complete range of DMACK options from wets, extra soft, soft and medium compound tyres were used across the weekend to tackle the tough stages. However, Evans mastered the conditions better than most and held a slim 4.5 second lead after the opening day&rsquo;s six stages south of the host town.
He and Parry then stepped up the pace in their Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5 and held a 50-second advantage going into the final loop of three stages. They cruised through the abrasive mountain tests to take a commanding victory and seal a sensational British title for DMACK.
Team-mates Matt Edwards and Will Rogers had a solid debut in a similar Fiesta R5 after sealing the BRC2 title on the previous event. There was a popular victory for Irish crew Rob Duggan and Ger Conway who took the DMACK Junior BRC title in their Vauxhall Motorsport Adam. They are handed a WRC scholarship into the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy next season.
Elfyn Evans said: &ldquo;It feels really good to win the BRC title in style with one round still remaining but it was a difficult event and hard to concentrate on the job in hand. The rally was really tough, probably the hardest of the season with the weather changing all the time. To win the rally and the championship is very special, especially as it was 20 years since my father was champion.&rdquo;
Glenn Patterson, DMACK British Rally Team manager, said: &ldquo;Winning the championship is certainly the highlight of a strong season after a number of unbeatable performances from Elfyn and Craig. This rally was difficult, unpredictable and a huge challenge but we made the right choices and the full suite of tyres worked remarkably well. Taking the victory here was certainly a real team effort.&rdquo;Sun, 21 Aug 2016 14:35:00 +0000Double DMACK Asphalt Action With World And British Challengeshttp://dmacktyres.com/double-dmack-asphalt-action-with-world-and-british-championship-challengeshttp://dmacktyres.com/double-dmack-asphalt-action-with-world-and-british-championship-challengesThe DMACK World Rally Team heads to the first all-asphalt round of the FIA World Rally Championship next week equipped with an upgraded range of Tarmac tyres for the tough challenge of ADAC Rallye Deutschland.
After demonstrating rally-winning pace on gravel this season, and narrowly missing out on a debut WRC victory, DMACK is hoping its all-new DMT-RC2 tyres will offer a similar boost in performance when round nine of the series tackles the arduous asphalt stages in Germany.
Estonians Ott Tänak and Raigo Mõlder will debut DMACK’s new asphalt rubber on their Ford Fiesta RS WRC. In addition to soft compound S5+ and the hard H5+ option, DMACK crews will also have access to a full wet pattern for the first time. The new W5+ features deep grooves to clear standing water and offers enhanced safety in adverse conditions.
The asphalt rallying rulebook is thrown out the window for Rallye Deutschland. Its unique challenge comes from three different types of special stages with three different road surfaces to test DMACK’s tyre to the limit.
Many of the German stages run through the technical vineyards high in the hills overlooking the Mosel river. Their narrow, cambered roads are lined with walls and vines, demanding precision and instant turn-in from tyres. The surfaces can become slippery with dirt and soil dragged out as drivers cut corners to find the quickest line.
However, the toughest conditions will be faced on the broken asphalt roads on the 40.8 km Panzerplatte stage, which runs twice on Saturday through the infamous Baumholder tank training ground. The third surface is experienced on the more traditional public roads through the Saarland countryside but these smooth stages become treacherously slippery when wet.
Rallye Deutschland is again based in Trier close to the Luxembourg border and sees crews tackle 306 km of action over 18 stages before finishing back at the Porta Nigra UNESCO world heritage site on Sunday afternoon.
Meanwhile the DMACK British Rally Team will have its own asphalt challenge in the MSA British Rally Championship as Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry aim to take their fourth win of the season at the Ulster Rally in Northern Ireland. Held next Friday and Saturday, the event features two days of difficult Tarmac roads in the mountains of Tyrone and Derry.
Driving their Autotek-run Fiesta R5, Evans and Parry have built up a 39-point championship lead. They’ve already shown leading pace on asphalt earlier this season with a string of fastest times on the Circuit of Ireland. It’s also a exciting event for team-mates Matt Edwards and Will Rogers who step up to the R5 class after having already secured the BRC2 championship title.
Next week’s Ulster Rally begins from Derry’s Guildhall on Friday lunchtime and features 133 miles of stages across the fast, dirty countryside lanes and mountain passes. It draws to a close on Saturday evening after 14 stages.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: “We are expecting to see an improvement in performance with the new Tarmac range – especially if the conditions work in our favour. We’ve used the same methodology as the gravel tyres and it’s all part of our progression ahead of the 2017 season. The conditions in Germany are always difficult but we should have a range to cover all eventualities.”
Ott Tänak, DMACK World Rally Team driver, said: “I like Tarmac and also enjoy the stages in Germany – you can have different weather on every stage in a loop so it’s always a compromise. We’ve shown how our pace can be on gravel this year and hopefully we will have the right conditions next week. Either way, I will be pushing as hard as possible for a solid result.”
Elfyn Evans, DMACK British Rally Team driver, said: “We’ve had a good run over the last few events and will be aiming to carry that speed and performance again in Ulster. Our pace on the Circuit of Ireland was good so we need to continue that without any problems to strengthen our championship challenge.”Fri, 12 Aug 2016 12:56:00 +0000DMACK Launches New WRC Asphalt Tyre Rangehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-new-wrc-asphalt-tyre-rangehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-new-wrc-asphalt-tyre-rangeBuilding on its recent success in the FIA World Rally Championship, DMACK has launched a new range of Tarmac tyres ahead of next week's ADAC Rallye Deutschland &ndash; the first all-asphalt round of the series.
Playing its mid-season joker, which permits the firm to homologate a new specification asphalt tyre, DMACK will debut a revised version of its dry weather DMT-RC2 along with the all-new DMT-W full wet pattern.
Competitors tackling the tricky German round of the world series will have access to two new dry compounds in the DMT-RC, a soft S5+ and the hard H5+. Both feature upgraded constructions and the latest compounding technology - the result of four months testing and development.
Alongside the dry pattern, and in response to new FIA regulations to enhance safety in wet weather, DMACK has also launched the all-new DMT-W. Designed specifically to cope with standing water and wet asphalt, the symmetrical pattern features deep grooves to clear water but still retains large surface blocks, allowing it to be used in drying conditions.
The new British-built products have been developed as part of DMACK's technical and manufacturing partnership with the Avon Motorsport arm of Cooper Tire, using the same principles that have seen its recently upgraded gravel tyres take 16 WRC stage victories over the last three events.
While the new range offers enhanced performance, the development of a leading asphalt tyre is more complex and long-term than a gravel equivalent and DMACK will develop its DMT-RC2 product even further during the remainder of the season.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: "At the start of the season we outlined our intent to take DMACK to the next level through testing and product development. We've proved our ability with the gravel tyres and we've been working intently on the asphalt products. Our new range is a significant step forward and, while targeted initially at WRC, will provide a viable option for regional and national championships."Wed, 10 Aug 2016 08:21:00 +0000DMACK Proves Speed With Top Pace In Finlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-proves-speed-with-top-pace-in-finlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-proves-speed-with-top-pace-in-finlandDMACK once again proved its world rally-winning pace at Neste Rally Finland this weekend &ndash; one of the most demanding and revered rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship. Setting six fastest stage times on some of the championship&rsquo;s quickest roads, Estonians Ott T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder were on top form as they challenged for the lead.
Their performance marks the second consecutive event where DMACK has scored a series of stage-topping times &ndash; beating all the top manufacturers and world&rsquo;s best drivers. Last time out in Poland the DMACK World Rally Team led a WRC event for the first time and narrowly missed out on a debut overall win.
But T&auml;nak and M&otilde;lder picked up where they left off and started Rally Finland with a blistering pace &ndash; leading outright after the opening street stage through host city Jyv&auml;skyl&auml; on Thursday night.
For the second event in a row they continued to fight for the lead in their Ford Fiesta RS WRC when the action moved to the super-fast forests. They were never more than 1.4 seconds off the top spot until their challenge was thwarted after dropping time with broken suspension and a puncture after hitting a rock.
But the determined duo fought back with a string of fastest times to climb the leaderboard. They were on course for a podium finish in third but a final day collision with a huge stone forced them to retire.
In WRC 2, Karl Kruuda and Martin J&auml;rveoja had another strong performance over the weekend. The Estonians had been holding a fine fourth place but also suffered problems on the final day after damaging their Fiesta R5 and were unable to finish the rally. Team-mates Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan finished sixth in their prize drive as current Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy champions.
Crews in Finland utilised the superior performance of DMACK&rsquo;s new gravel tyres in soft and hard compounds over the weekend &ndash; providing both the speed and precision demanded by these most challenging of roads.
With blistering speeds and dramatic rollercoaster roads, Rally Finland has a reputation as one of the championship&rsquo;s classic rounds. Many of the tests run over wide, smooth roads with a hard base &ndash; boosting grip levels and driving up average speeds. But more technical stages, with soft surfaces that can rut badly on the second pass, expose sharp rocks and cause punctures.
The event was again based in Jyv&auml;skyl&auml; and provided 333km of action over 24 spectacular special stages. Highlight of the weekend was a trip over the legendary Ouninpohja test on Saturday before the action drew to a conclusion with four final stages today.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We have once again proved the performance of our new tyres. If we didn&rsquo;t have the broken suspension, which put Ott under pressure to play catch-up, then we could have possibly been fighting for the win again. We had a strategy at the start of the season to target Poland and Finland with the new gravel tyre so we&rsquo;ve certainly achieved that and demonstrated a major leap forward in performance.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;Once again we&rsquo;ve shown a top pace and been able to set top times on the fastest event of the season. But a few problems have stopped us from challenging for the victory, even though we pushed to the maximum all weekend. We had prepared really well for this rally and put in so much work before hand.&rdquo;
Karl Kruuda said: &ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t the final result we were after but our pace has improved steadily over the last three events. We had been pushing pretty hard here and the speed at the front really was fast. Finland is one of those special events and it really was an enjoyable weekend here.&rdquo;
Marius Aasen said: &ldquo;After the accident in Poland it was important for us to get a strong finish here. We improved our pace over the weekend and never made any mistakes and I was really having a nice enjoyable event. We made a few changes with the car and everything worked pretty well during the event.&rdquo;Sun, 31 Jul 2016 15:40:00 +0000DMACK Hoping To Maintain Leading Pace in Finlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-hoping-to-maintain-leading-pace-in-finlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-hoping-to-maintain-leading-pace-in-finlandAfter leading an FIA World Rally Championship event for the first time and scoring its best-ever finish, the DMACK World Rally Team will contest one of the most hotly anticipated rounds of the series next week at Neste Rally Finland.
Narrowly missing out on a dream maiden victory a few weeks ago in Poland, Estonians Ott T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder will be back in confident style to tackle the high-speed, rollercoaster roads idolised by drivers and rally fans across the world.
Since DMACK launched a new range of British-built gravel tyres earlier in the season, T&auml;nak has been exceptionally fast and was untouchable in Poland. He&rsquo;s hoping to show that pace again next week, but Finland is a more technical event with blind crests and daunting dips where accurate pace notes and extreme levels of trust and commitment are required.
DMACK will supply three top-level world rally cars in Finland including T&auml;nak&rsquo;s Ford Fiesta RS WRC. They will use DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 tyre in soft compound GS61 primarily, along with the alternative hard GH21 &ndash; a maximum of 24 are available for the event.
In WRC 2, Norwegians Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan will again join Drive DMACK Trophy Team runners Karl Kruuda and Martin J&auml;rveoja. Despite showing impressive speed in Poland in their Fiesta R5s, both crews had disappointing end results and will be looking to notch up a solid finish in Finland, on roads where they both have a good level of experience.
Joining them on DMACK rubber will be local stars Janne Tuohino, also in a Fiesta R5, and Kari Hytonen at the wheel of a Fabia R5. They will be armed with the DMG+2 tyre in soft GS61 and hard GH42, and will have access to a total of 26 tyres including shakedown.
DMACK tyres have consistently proven their performance at Rally Finland. Dubbed the Finnish Grand Prix, the action is fought out over extreme gravel stages featuring huge jumps and blind crests. Pace notes must be accurate to describe the exact lines over flat-out jumps and even the smallest mistake is punished hard.
The stage surfaces are a bit of a mix and can really add to the challenge. Many of the tests run over wide, smooth roads with a hard base &ndash; boosting grip levels and driving up average speeds. But more technical stages, with soft surfaces that can rut badly on the second pass, may expose sharp rocks and cause punctures.
Next week&rsquo;s event is also the mid-way point of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. Series leader Osian Pryce has a six-point advantage but is likely to face a challenge from local star Max Vatanen &ndash; two prize drives will be awarded at the event.
Rally Finland is again based in Jyv&auml;skyl&auml; and bursts into action with the exciting Harju street stage through the town centre on Thursday night before drivers head west on Friday towards Keuruu for classic forest challenges including M&ouml;kkiper&auml; and Jukoj&auml;rvi. Saturday will take crews south to the J&auml;ms&auml; region and the legendary Ouninpohja &ndash; the rally's signature stage. Sunday's route extends south east of Jyv&auml;skyl&auml; into areas that have not seen rally cars this millennium. The event covers 333.6km of action across 24 stages.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We are confident that our new gravel tyres can perform well again in Finland, but it&rsquo;s a different, more technical, event with many variables. We will be aiming for another strong result but the second pass of the stages, where the roads can rut badly, can be extremely challenging.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;Finland is always a highlight of the season and all the drivers love the high speeds and rollercoaster roads. Our confidence is good after Rally Poland and once again we will push as hard as possible. I&rsquo;ve done the rally quite a few times now and have a strong level of experience so, if things feel good, then we should have a chance.&rdquo;
Karl Kruuda said: &ldquo;The feeling is quite good after Poland and I&rsquo;m looking forward to some fast stages again. The aim is to try and be up there with the other guys and pick out a few stages where we can beat them, but Finland is still a tough and sometimes daunting place. Poland highlighted a few areas where we can make some changes so we will aim to improve further.&rdquo;
Marius Aasen said: &ldquo;Finland is one of my favourite rallies and I have always dreamed of participating there in a R5 car. This will be my fourth time doing the rally, but I know the Fiesta R5 is much faster than the cars I have driven there before, so it will be a big difference. After our crash in Poland I think we will need some stages to get back into the good rhythm. This time we will use some of our pacenotes from last year and I'm sure that will help us.&rdquo;Tue, 26 Jul 2016 07:37:00 +0000Third Victory For DMACK Sees Evans Extend Leadhttp://dmacktyres.com/third-victory-for-dmack-sees-evans-extend-leadhttp://dmacktyres.com/third-victory-for-dmack-sees-evans-extend-leadDMACK drivers extended their lead of the MSA British Rally Championship after Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry scored their third victory today at the Nicky Grist Stages in Wales. The DMACK British Rally Team pair were untouchable on both gravel and asphalt surfaces to win 12 of the 15 stages, and take victory by over a minute. They now have a 39-point championship lead.
DMACK runners won all three of the top BRC classes and, in BRC2, Matt Edwards and Will Rogers were crowned champions with two rounds still remaining, sealing the BRC title today in their DMACK-equipped Mitsubishi EVO.
The Nicky Grist Stages was the only mixed-surface round of the championship and Evans was quickly into the groove. He blasted through stage three more than 15 seconds quicker than anyone else to open up a 24-second advantage by the first service halt. Using DMACK&rsquo;s soft compound gravel tyre, he mastered the wet, muddy and treacherously slippery conditions of the Crychan and Halfway stages, formally tests of Wales Rally GB.
In their Autotek prepared Ford Fiesta R5 the pair were fastest on seven of the opening day&rsquo;s eight stages to hold an overnight lead of 48 seconds.
During a specially extended service, cars were transformed to asphalt specification for today&rsquo;s action over the Epynt military ranges and Evans picked up where he left off on the tricky Tarmac tests. With mixed weather conditions playing havoc with tyre choice, the soft compound DMACK DMT-RC2 proved perfect for the wet and damp roads.
Evans topped the timesheets on a further five stages, extending his lead and finishing back in Builth Wells with a 1 minute 11 second advantage.
In the DMACK British Junior Championship, Irishman Rob Duggan made it a hat-trick of victories this season after a faultless drive. He led from start to finish to head a Vauxhall Motorsport one-two.
MSA British Rally Championship for Drivers 1.Elfyn Evans / Craig Parry (DMACK): 110 2.Tom Cave / James Morgan (Michelin): 71 3. Fredrik Ahlin / Morton Erik Abrahamsen (Pirelli): 65
Elfyn Evans, DMACK British Rally Team driver, said: &ldquo;It was quite a tricky rally but we went hard from the start and opened up a strong lead on the gravel stages. The conditions were difficult all weekend but the tyres and car both worked well and we were able to manage things perfectly. It has been a very positive result and great that we&rsquo;ve extended our lead in the championship.&rdquo;
Glenn Patterson, DMACK British Rally Team manager, said: &ldquo;We came to the rally with a focus on another victory to consolidate our championship challenge, so we&rsquo;ve really had the ideal result. Conditions on both days were very difficult but, as expected, the tyres worked perfectly when it got tough and Elfyn and Craig controlled the event to take an important third win.&rdquo;Mon, 11 Jul 2016 07:47:00 +0000DMACK Delighted With Top WRC Finishhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-delighted-with-top-wrc-finishhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-delighted-with-top-wrc-finishBritish tyre manufacturer DMACK has scored its best-ever FIA World Rally Championship result and its first podium after a giant-killing performance at Rally Poland.
Leading for the majority of DMACK&rsquo;s 70th WRC event, Estonians Ott T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder finished second after a dramatic final day. Despite being denied a remarkable maiden victory, the result positioned DMACK as a major player in global motorsport after becoming one of a handful of tyre manufacturers to lead a WRC event.
In their M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta RS WRC, T&auml;nak and M&otilde;lder set nine fastest stage times after dominating the time-sheets against the world&rsquo;s top drivers and teams. But in a cruel twist of luck, they dropped time in the penultimate test today, which was run in horrendous conditions after torrential rain. Their overnight 21-second lead was turned on its head as they eventually finished runners-up.
After setting five fastest stage times on Friday&rsquo;s opening day, the pair held a slender 4.2 second overnight lead. Then on Saturday morning, they blitzed the opening loop of stages, setting fastest times on all three high-speed tests, and extending the gap at the top to 21.3 seconds.
But today&rsquo;s final four stages were turned into rough, muddy tracks and T&auml;nak was one of a number of drivers to drop time after clouting a rock, damaging his wheel and tyre and robbing him of a debut win.
In addition to his blisteringly fast speed, T&auml;nak&rsquo;s secret weapon was DMACK&rsquo;s new range of British-built rally tyres. In partnership with the Avon Motorsport arm of Cooper Tire &amp; Rubber Co Europe, DMACK has undertaken an intense development programme and introduced upgraded gravel tyres in May.
Targeting Rally Poland as a potential event to challenge the top manufacturer teams, DMACK&rsquo;s gamble paid off. On some of the season&rsquo;s fastest and most-challenging roads, and watched by hundreds of thousands of passionate rally fans, DMACK and T&auml;nak stunned everyone with their pace.
In the WRC 2 support series, Karl Kruuda and Martin J&auml;rveoja had been setting top-three times before a burst oil pipe sidelined them on Saturday. Norwegians Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan also retired after a heavy accident damaged their Fiesta R5 beyond event repair.
Northern Ireland&rsquo;s Jon Armstrong and co-driver Noel O&rsquo;Sullivan won round two of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy but the first prize drives in next season&rsquo;s WRC 2 were awarded to Osian Pryce and Dale Furniss from Wales.
Rally Poland was once again based in Mikołajki &ndash; a small town set in the middle of the picturesque Masurian Lake District in the north-east of the country. The route comprised 21 mega-fast, timed special stages covering 306.10km of spectacular action.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s certainly been a weekend to remember for everyone at DMACK. We&rsquo;ve been striving to compete at this level and this event marks a real turning point for us. Ott and Raigo have stunned everyone this weekend with their pace and the result has driven our enthusiasm to reach the top.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;It was an event of mixed emotions, we were really disappointed at losing the battle for a debut victory so close to the end after fighting so hard all weekend. But the performance proves what we are capable of and the improvements DMACK has made with the tyres. Driving on these high-speed stages is an incredible feeling, so much fun.&rdquo;Sun, 03 Jul 2016 16:47:00 +0000 DMACK Makes History As WRC Leadershttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-makes-history-as-wrc-leadershttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-makes-history-as-wrc-leadersDMACK joined a small group of elite tyre manufacturers who have led an FIA World Rally Championship event when Ott Tänak and co-driver Raigo Mõlder won five stages to hold an overnight lead at PZM Rally Poland.
The Estonians powered their Ford Fiesta RS WRC to the top of the leaderboard after the second stage at round seven of the world championship this morning.
After briefly slipping back to third, they blitzed the field after lunchtime service with a trio of fastest stage times, beating the top drivers and WRC manufacturers. They went a huge 3.5 seconds faster than anyone else on the 21.14km stage eight to leap back into P1.
Equipped with the latest generation DMACK gravel tyres, designed and built in the UK, Tänak mastered the ultra high-speed gravel roads through the Masurian lake district in the north of the country. He holds an overnight lead of 4.2 seconds.
The rally continues tomorrow with seven stages and 124km of action, including a remote tyre fitting zone at Goldap, before finishing on Sunday afternoon.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “It’s been a momentous day in DMACK’s short history and today’s remarkable performance really puts us on the map as a major player in motorsport. When we introduced these new tyres, we targeted Poland and Finland as events where we knew there was a strong chance of setting top times. The development over the last 12 months has been intense but now we are beginning to reap the rewards.”
Ott Tänak said: “I really enjoyed today, we had a great time and it’s so much fun when we are pushing hard and can compete with the guys at the top. Everything has worked well today and we are both so happy to be consistently scoring fastest times and leading the rally overnight.”Sat, 02 Jul 2016 06:33:00 +0000DMACK Dominates As Evans Wins In Scotlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-dominates-as-evans-wins-in-scotlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-dominates-as-evans-wins-in-scotlandDMACK dominated the RSAC Scottish Rally after Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry set fastest times on all but one stage to seal a commanding 52-second victory and storm into the lead of the MSA British Rally Championship.
The result is the first overall win for DMACK’s new British-built rally tyres which excelled in the tough Scottish forests to help Evans move into a 20-point lead of the championship at the wheel of his Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5.
Welshman Evans, from Dolgellau, has now scored victory on two of the four championship rounds and started his attack with an unbeaten run through the opening test in Twiglees. He stormed through the finish line 8.8 seconds ahead of local star David Bogie and extended the lead to 13.3 seconds by the first service halt.
Using DMACK’s new GS61 soft gravel tyre throughout the day, Evans and Parry continued to score fastest times despite having to cope with loose gravel running first on the road.
Leading from start to finish, they cruised through the final stage to seal an emphatic mid-season victory. The finish celebrations in Dumfries saw three different tyre manufacturers on the podium demonstrating the competitive nature of the revived British series.
DMACK drivers again dominated the class battles with Matt Edwards winning the BRC2 category for production cars, Donnie MacDonald coming top in the N6 class and Sindre Furuseth taking honours in the Junior BRC.
DMACK drivers and teams now lead the overall BRC and teams championships along with BRC2, the Junior BRC and the National Rally Cup.
The next event sees a new challenge when the Nicky Grist Stages in July runs as a dual-surface event, with one day on gravel and the next on asphalt.
MSA British Rally Championship for Drivers 1.Elfyn Evans / Craig Parry (DMACK): 85 2.Fredrik Ahlin / Morton Erik Abrahamsen (Pirelli): 65 3.Tom Cave / James Morgan (Michelin): 56
Elfyn Evans, DMACK British Rally Team driver, said: “This is exactly the result we came here for after some back luck on the last two rounds, and the victory here really gets our championship challenge back on track again. We pushed hard on every stage and it was a great team effort from everyone. I’m looking forward to the Nicky Grist Stages now and it’s a big positive that we can go there back in the championship lead.”
Glenn Patterson, DMACK British Rally Team manager, said: “Victory on the Scottish Rally was exactly what we needed to get the championship challenge reignited. Elfyn and Craig drove a perfect event and we can also celebrate the first win for our new tyres. Once again we’ve seen DMACK drivers across all classes score some fantastic results.”Mon, 27 Jun 2016 08:22:00 +0000DMACK Seeking More Top WRC Times In Polandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-seeking-more-top-wrc-times-in-polandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-seeking-more-top-wrc-times-in-polandDMACK&rsquo;s FIA World Rally Championship challenge moves to the high-speed, gravel roads of Rally Poland next week for round seven of the series. And the focus switches to soft, sandy conditions where both DMACK and its leading Estonian crew of Ott T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder have performed well in the past.
DMACK drivers scored a stunning one-two victory in WRC 2 two years ago after its DMG+2 gravel tyres mastered the sandy roads through the Masurian lake district to the north of the country. With significant upgrades to those tyres since then, and a string of top times over the last few events, it&rsquo;s hoped that T&auml;nak will be on the pace once again.
After setting a fastest overall stage time, and equalling the DMACK World Rally Team&rsquo;s best result in Sardinia a few weeks ago, T&auml;nak and M&otilde;lder will be pushing in Poland. The high-speed roads should feel a little more familiar to their home stages in Estonia while the soft, sandy surfaces mean tyre wear is not expected to be a major issue.
To cope with the soft surfaces, DMACK has nominated its DMG+2 soft compound GS61 tyre. Competitors in WRC cars can use a maximum of 28 tyres and also have the option of 16 alternative GH21 hard compound should the conditions change.
In WRC 2, DMACK will be chasing its third podium finish in as many events. Estonians Karl Kruuda and Martin J&auml;rveoja had an excellent debut for the team in Sardinia at the wheel of their Ford Fiesta R5 and will be aiming to lift their pace on the faster stages in Poland.
Team-mates Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan from Norway are also in a confident mood. They won the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy round in Poland last year and feel more at home on the fast roads. They will also use DMACK&rsquo;s GS61 soft but have the GH42 hard as their second option.
The action is once again based in Mikołajki &ndash; a small town set in the middle of the picturesque Masurian Lake District in the north-east of the country. However, a significant chunk of the event is new and that means a level playing field and pretty intense battles over the weekend &ndash; all watched by huge numbers of fans who flock from neighbouring countries.
After a short blast through the super special stage on Thursday night, it&rsquo;s straight into Friday&rsquo;s repeated four-stage loop. Saturday&rsquo;s route heads north for six stages split with just a remote tyre fitting zone in Goldap. The event&rsquo;s 21 stages complete with four tests closer to Rally HQ.
Rally Poland is also round two of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy, which is led by UK driver Osian Pryce.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;DMACK tyres have traditionally performed well on softer surfaces so we are confident ahead of Rally Poland. Last year we saw high temperatures which in turn increased tyre wear &ndash; so it can still be a tricky event. However, we are optimistic of maintaining our run of improved performances this season.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;We had a good test earlier in the week and if the conditions work in our favour then I think we have a good chance to challenge again. The stages are very fast in Poland and I enjoy those conditions, it's a little more similar to roads in Estonia. Whatever happens we will continue to give it our best shot and push as hard as possible.
Karl Kruuda: I've competed here before and like the type of fast, flowing roads in Poland. However, we haven't driven at these speeds for a while so it might take a few stages to adapt, but I'm confident we can get up to the pace. Sardinia was a good rally for us but the aim is to try and improve on that pace next week."
Marius Aasen said: &ldquo;Poland is one of my favourite rallies and I have good memories from winning my first DMACK Fiesta Trophy round there last year. I really enjoy these roads, they are more similar to back home in Norway, but you need to be really committed to go well in Poland. With the high speeds, there will be quite a big step up from the R2 to the R5 car but we are ready for the challenge.&rdquo;Fri, 24 Jun 2016 13:40:00 +0000Evans Aims For The Top In Scottish Duelhttp://dmacktyres.com/evans-aims-for-the-top-in-scottish-duelhttp://dmacktyres.com/evans-aims-for-the-top-in-scottish-duelThe DMACK British Rally team continues its assault on the MSA British Rally Championship as the series takes in its fourth different country in four events. Next week&rsquo;s RSAC Scottish Rally sees the team travel to Dumfries with the sole aim of regaining the lead of the UK&rsquo;s premier rally series.
Welshman Elfyn Evans, from Dolgellau, and co-driver Craig Parry have easily been the fastest crew in the series. They stormed to victory on round one in Wales and were leading on the Circuit of Ireland before being sidelined with a mechanical issue.
They also set the stages alight when the championship returned to mainland UK for round three in Carlisle &ndash; and were unbeaten on all but one special stage.
Evans will be hoping to demonstrate that pace again north of the border when he tackles some classic Scottish forest roads next Saturday. They include steadfast gravel tests like Twiglees and Castle O&rsquo;er but organisers have also introduced fresh challenges, with around 10 of the 62-mile route completely new.
Evans will pilot a sole Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5 Evo for the team after early season team-mate Max Vatanen opted to concentrate on his Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy campaign in the World Rally Championship after finishing runner-up on the opening round in Portugal.
Evans&rsquo; Fiesta will be equipped with the same soft compound DMACK gravel tyres which powered Ott Tanak to stage-winning times in the latest WRC round at Sardinia last week.
The last all-gravel round of the British championship will also see 11 competitors in the DMACK Junior BRC chase the huge prize of a &pound;60,000 scholarship into next season&rsquo;s Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy in the world championship. Irish star Rob Duggan leads by just one point from Gus Greensmith.
Elfyn Evans said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve showed a strong, leading pace all season in the BRC but, apart from the first round in Wales, we&rsquo;ve had a couple of issues which have stopped us from winning more events. The aim next weekend is to continue that pace and try to have a clean, trouble-free event where we can get back on top of the championship and regain the lead.&rdquo;Fri, 17 Jun 2016 13:35:00 +0000DMACK Equals Best Result And Wins Historic Rallyhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-equals-best-result-and-wins-historic-rallyhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-equals-best-result-and-wins-historic-rallyDMACK equalled its best result of the season at Rally Italia Sardegna today after Estonians Ott T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder finished fifth overall, with Karl Kruuda sealing the firm&rsquo;s second WRC 2 podium in two events. Meanwhile, double world rally champion Miki Biasion took a dominant overall victory in the Historic rally at the wheel of a DMACK-shod Lancia Delta.
The event also demonstrated the speed of DMACK&rsquo;s recently upgraded gravel tyres after they helped T&auml;nak blitz the opposition to seal another fastest stage time yesterday.
DMACK&rsquo;s new British-built tyres successfully tackled the arduous island gravel roads, some of the most challenging in the entire FIA World Rally Championship. Battling for the early rally lead, T&auml;nak showed their improved pace right from the opening stage when he set second fastest time, just 0.3 seconds adrift of the lead.
When Friday&rsquo;s action headed east of rally base in Alghero, he struggled a little with durability on the ultra-abrasive roads but still managed to finish the day safely inside the top-10.
However, he resumed the charge during the longest day of the rally on Saturday. Setting leading times throughout the morning loop, T&auml;nak scored DMACK&rsquo;s second fastest stage time of the season as he blasted through the 22.39km stage to finish 1.3 seconds faster than his nearest rival. By the end of the day he&rsquo;d moved up four places into the top-five.
He maintained that throughout Sunday&rsquo;s final four stages to finish fifth overall and consolidate both his and DMACK World Rally Team&rsquo;s positions in the overall WRC championships.
In WRC 2 Karl Kruuda and Martin J&auml;rveoja had an excellent debut for the DMACK team after finishing an impressive third &ndash; the second DMACK podium in two rallies. The pair progressed well in their Ford Fiesta R5, improving throughout the weekend, and are confident ahead of their next outing at Rally Poland.
Team-mates Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan also built on their fine R5 gravel debut in Portugal. They had set improved times and were also building experience before a heavy impact damaged their gearbox on Saturday&rsquo;s stage 13. They rejoined today to show a strong pace and finished seventh.
DMACK had a dominant win on the Rally Sardegna Historic rally when double world champion and rally legend Miki Biasion scored fastest times on every single stage to win by over six minutes. Driving a stunning Lancia Delta Integrale local hero Biasion stole the show while team-mate Ugo Canavese finished sixth.
Offering some of the championship&rsquo;s most abrasive roads, the rally was both fast and furious. The narrow stages are high speed and lined with bushes, trees and rocks &ndash; making them very technical and tricky. Once again based on the west coastal resort of Alghero, the sundrenched gravel roads across Sardinia became rutted and exposed sharp rocks on the second pass.
After the short Ittiri Arena stage on Thursday evening, competitors were treated to three full days of rough gravel roads before finishing back in Alghero this afternoon.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Once again we&rsquo;ve seen the performance improvements in our gravel products with another fastest stage time. We&rsquo;ve had a few challenges on this event but we are learning on the toughest stages and with the fastest rally cars in the world. But it&rsquo;s the competition between the other tyre manufacturers which we welcome, and that&rsquo;s what we love about the WRC. I&rsquo;m confident that we can perform well in Poland and Finland where our tyres have been strong before.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;It was a difficult weekend but in the end quite a good result. We pushed as hard as we could on every stage and it was great to be able to show the pace again with another fastest time. This was a very tricky and tough rally but we are more confident for the next event in Poland where we&rsquo;ve had success before.&rdquo;
Karl Kruuda said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a really great weekend. I haven&rsquo;t competed since last summer so to come here and get on the podium is fantastic. I was worried as it&rsquo;s always difficult to come in mid-season when the others are up to speed. But the car and tyres both worked really well and now the confidence is pretty good going into Poland.&rdquo;
Marius Aasen said: &ldquo;The rally started very well for us and generally over the whole weekend we had a really great feeing with the car and tyres. Unfortunately we had to retire but these things happen, this was a difficult rally and I was pleased with my performance on my first time here. I&rsquo;m looking forward to the next rally in Poland &ndash; I&rsquo;m much more familiar with the roads.&rdquo;
Miki Biasion said: &ldquo;We had a very nice rally and I really enjoyed to drive the car with these tyres. They worked really well in the rough conditions, even when the roads were badly damaged, and it will be interesting to develop them even further for historic cars. The rally itself was great, fantastic to see so many spectators waiting for the historic cars and the stages were very challenging.&rdquo;Mon, 13 Jun 2016 08:15:00 +0000Serious Sardinia Provides Gruelling Gravel Actionhttp://dmacktyres.com/serious-sardinia-provides-gruelling-gravel-actionhttp://dmacktyres.com/serious-sardinia-provides-gruelling-gravel-actionAfter a successful launch of its upgraded gravel tyres in Portugal, the DMACK World Rally Team heads to round six of the FIA World Rally Championship next week to tackle some of the most abrasive stages in the series. Rally Italia Sardegna features many of the season's rockiest roads and toughest conditions, which will offer a stern test for DMACK's new hard compound rally tyres.
Last time out in Portugal Estonians Ott T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder set the stages alight on the competitive debut of DMACK's new British-built rally tyres. The performance improvements allowed the pair to compete with the top crews and push for overall stage times. However, a cruel twist of luck saw them crash out on the opening day, unable to continue after damaging their Ford Fiesta RS WRC.
T&auml;nak will be keen to restart where he left off and get to grips with the arduous gravel tracks across the north of the Mediterranean island. The abrasive bedrock punishes tyres and it will be the toughest test yet for the new GH21 hard compound, which WRC cars will use next week.
The Drive DMACK Trophy Team will again field Norwegians Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan, winners of last year's Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. The pair scored a super podium on their gravel debut in a Fiesta R5 in Portugal and will be aiming to both gain experience and repeat the result in Sardinia.
Joining them, and driving with DMACK for the first time, is Karl Kruuda from Estonia. A leading competitor in WRC 2 in the past, Kruuda and co-driver Martin J&auml;rveoja will be tasked with demonstrating the performance of DMACK's products designed specifically for R5 machines.
Kruuda will compete in Sardinia, Poland and Finland before Sander P&auml;rn rejoins the team for two events later in the season.
Aasen and Kruuda will primarily use the DMG+2 tyre in hard GH42 compound and are allowed a maximum of 30 tyres over the weekend.
Known for its harsh surfaces, boasting some of the championship&rsquo;s most abrasive roads, the rally is both fast and furious. The stages are traditionally narrow and lined with bushes, trees and rocks &ndash; but also pretty high speed.
Once again based on the west coastal resort of Alghero, the sundrenched gravel roads across Sardinia become rutted and expose sharp rocks on the second pass. In addition to durability, DMACK&rsquo;s products must also possess significant puncture resistance to cope with the gruelling conditions and high summer temperatures.
After a 2km blast around the Ittiri Arena stage on Thursday evening, Friday&rsquo;s action features two runs over a four-stage loop to the east of Alghero.
Saturday boasts the toughest day of action with 177km contested over two passes of a three-stage loop. Within each loop is a remote tyre fitting zone where crews can bolt on new tyres to cover the remaining distance.
Sunday finishes with four stages north of Alghero including the Sassari &ndash; Argentiera power stage.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Sardinia offers a really unique mix of abrasive roads and soft stages &ndash; both creating different challenges for our tyres. The high distances, especially on Saturday, will force drivers to think about how they manage their tyre allocation and we are keen to see how our new hard compound tyres perform on this tough event. Karl is a great addition to the squad and I&rsquo;m confident he can help showcase our products in WRC 2.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;This rally is always a big challenge with the high temperatures and rough, narrow roads &ndash; but I do really enjoy the event. The roads are usually the hardest in the whole season for tyres. We made a big step forward in Portugal and I&rsquo;m really motivated going to Sardinia &ndash; hopefully we will be bale to fight again at the front.&rdquo;
Marius Aasen said: &ldquo;We had a really good rally in Portugal, both with the third place result but also gaining experience in the R5 car &ndash; it was a good event for my confidence. Sardinia will be much harder as I&rsquo;ve not competed here before but it&rsquo;s a tough rally and we need to aim to make it to the finish.&rdquo;
Karl Kruuda said: &ldquo;Sardinia has always been one of my favourite events and it&rsquo;s good for us that we have some shorter stages on Friday to help get back into it. It&rsquo;s been a couple of years since I&rsquo;ve been in a Fiesta but this is a great opportunity and I&rsquo;m working hard now to make the most of it. Ott&rsquo;s speed in Portugal shows the new tyres are good and we will try to prove this also in WRC 2.&rdquo;Fri, 03 Jun 2016 15:12:00 +0000DMACK Makes The Grade With Performance Boosthttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-makes-the-grade-with-performance-boosthttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-makes-the-grade-with-performance-boostTyre manufacturer DMACK has had an impressive start to a new chapter in its history after its range of British-built tyres for the FIA World Rally Championship delivered a significant step forward in performance at Vodafone Rally de Portugal this weekend.
Using the new range of DMG+2 gravel tyres, Estonians Ott T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder delivered a string of leading stage times &ndash; demonstrating an inspiring improvement and perfect progression. And DMACK believes it now has the products available to compete with, and challenge, the championship&rsquo;s other tyre manufacturers including Michelin and Pirelli.
Featuring the latest compound technology and upgraded construction, DMACK used both soft GS61 and hard GH21 compounds on the fifth round of the world series. T&auml;nak was on the pace right from the start, setting fastest time over the opening pass of the pre-event shakedown on Thursday morning.
When the main event burst into action on Friday with a three stage loop north of host town Porto, the steps forward made by DMACK&rsquo;s tyre technicians and development team over the first few months of this year were evident.
T&auml;nak continued to demonstrate an improved pace on the new soft tyre. He was third quickest through stage three, just 1.4 seconds behind WRC champion Sebastien Ogier and less than a second off the winner of stage four. He was holding a strong fourth overall when on stage five, the second pass through Ponte de Lima, he hit a huge piece of bedrock in the road which fired him off the course &ndash; ripping the front right corner off his Ford Fiesta RS WRC.
Just moments earlier, Hayden Paddon had fallen foul of exactly the same rock and his car was heavily on fire among some bushes. T&auml;nak landed beside him and, with the help of dozens of enthusiastic Portuguese rally fans, dragged his car from the flames into relative safety. However, the Fiesta was too badly damaged for him to continue.
Last year&rsquo;s Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy winners Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan from Norway had a strong event in a packed field of WRC 2 runners. In only their first gravel rally in the Fiesta R5, the pair put in a faultless drive to seal the final step of the podium &ndash; finishing third by just 0.2 seconds.
Estonian team-mates Sander P&auml;rn and co-driver Martin J&auml;rveoja had a good first day but retired on Saturday after clouting a rock-face and damaging the suspension.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been an extremely positive event for DMACK. We didn&rsquo;t obviously get the final results that we&rsquo;d have liked but the performance improvement in our new gravel products, for both WRC and R5 cars, is very encouraging. I&rsquo;m confident we can continue that pace throughout the remainder of the season.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m disappointed to not have had the chance to really show what we were capable of with the new tyres but I think we did prove that things have really moved forward. Now we are working hard to prepare for Sardinia to show the potential and prove we are back on the pace to fight for podiums on future gravel events.&rdquo;
Marius Aasen said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a really great weekend for us and we are both very pleased with this result. I can feel things working better every stage and we&rsquo;ve had a trouble-free rally. To secure a podium in WRC 2 on my first ever gravel rally with an R5 car is absolutely fantastic.&rdquo;
Sander P&auml;rn said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a pity that we weren&rsquo;t able to make it to the finish. The rally was going ok for us and we had improved the pace a little yesterday, it was feeling fine inside the car. Unfortunately we just got caught out on a narrow corner and bounced into the rock face at the side of the road.&rdquo;Sun, 22 May 2016 17:18:00 +0000DMACK Introduces Upgraded Gravel Tyres For Portugalhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-introduces-upgraded-gravel-tyres-for-portugalhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-introduces-upgraded-gravel-tyres-for-portugalFIA World Rally Championship tyre supplier DMACK will bring a new range of UK-made gravel tyres to next week&rsquo;s Vodafone Rally de Portugal, round five of the world series. And, for the first time, the British firm has developed products specifically for both world rally cars and R5 specification machines.
The FIA regulations allow tyre manufacturers to change the specification of homologated tyres once during the season. DMACK has taken the opportunity to introduce new soft and hard options of its DMG+2 tyre for both WRC and WRC 2 competitors.
The DMACK World Rally Team crew of Ott T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder ensured the old tyre went out on a high after setting fastest time through the iconic El Condor stage on the final day of Rally Argentina last month. And they will be aiming for a repeat performance in Portugal &ndash; on stages they like and remember well from last season.
For WRC cars like T&auml;nak&rsquo;s Ford Fiesta RS WRC, DMACK has introduced two new compounds, the GS61 soft and the GH21 hard &ndash; with the hard being nominated as the primary choice next week. WRC drivers are permitted a maximum of 24 pieces over the weekend.
In WRC 2, the Drive DMACK Trophy Team is fielding two M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta R5 cars. As part of their huge prize drive, last year&rsquo;s Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy winners Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan from Norway will be joined by Estonians Sander P&auml;rn and new co-driver Martin J&auml;rveoja for round two of their campaign.
Both crews haven&rsquo;t competed since Rally Sweden in February but will be looking to use their experience of this event in 2015 to score a solid finish in WRC 2. They will test on Monday to finalise preparation ahead of the event.
WRC 2 competitors will also use the GS61 soft compound gravel tyre alongside the all-new GH42 hard option &ndash; developed specifically for R5 cars. They have a maximum of 22 tyres to use during the event. The DMG+2 tyre has traditionally been a top performer on soft surfaces but it&rsquo;s also been designed to offer durability on the abrasive roads in northern Portugal.
The stages around the Porto and Fafe regions will see competitors tackle a mix of fast, sandy tracks alongside some technical roads over a mountain area. The region has a crazy base of motorsport fans and organisers are expecting the stages to be swamped with spectators eager to catch the action.
After a start in Guimares on Thursday night and a 3.36km super-special stage at Lousada, the rally moves north for a three-stage loop near the Spanish border on Friday. Saturday includes two passes over the 37.67km Amarante test to the east before Sunday sees the return of the iconic Fafe stage, which is steeped in WRC history.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had a number of strong events so far this year but Portugal marks the start of the traditional European summer rounds. After a series of tests earlier this year, we&rsquo;ve decided upon new specifications for our gravel tyres and, importantly, developed products specific to WRC 2 cars. We&rsquo;re looking forward to debuting our new products next week on some tough and technical stages.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;Rally Portugal is one of my favourite events of the season and I&rsquo;ve done the rally quite a few times now. Since moving north it&rsquo;s still a relatively new event but the stages are identical to last year so that&rsquo;s a benefit. I&rsquo;m looking forward to see how the new tyres perform. We&rsquo;ve still got a bit to learn and the pace this year in WRC is pretty fast &ndash; but once again we will be driving as hard as we can.&rdquo;
Marius Aasen said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really looking forward to the rally, my first gravel event in the Fiesta R5 this year. I remember how rough the roads were last year and we had to be very careful in the R2 car, so this will be a much different experience. We&rsquo;re testing on Monday so that will be very important to get back up to speed again as we haven&rsquo;t been competing since Sweden in Febraury. It&rsquo;s also the first time we are using pacenotes from last year, it will be good to have two proper recce runs.&rdquo;
Sander P&auml;rn said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s my second season with the R5 car and we&rsquo;re aiming to improve on the pace from last year. I&rsquo;ve got a new co-driver for this season and our aim is to really give this our best shot right from the start &ndash; so it&rsquo;s a benefit that the stages are the same as last year. We haven&rsquo;t done much since Sweden but I will be doing some driving in Estonia today and then we have a test in Portugal on Monday.&rdquo;Fri, 13 May 2016 11:38:00 +0000DMACK’s Winning Charge Hampered By Event Timinghttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack--s-winning-charge-hampered-by-event-timinghttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack--s-winning-charge-hampered-by-event-timingDespite leading the third round of the MSA British Rally Championship and setting a string of fastest stage times over the weekend, DMACK&rsquo;s Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry were hindered by timing regulations in their charge for victory on the Pirelli Carlisle Rally.
Using DMACK&rsquo;s new DMG+2 gravel tyres, built in the UK for the first time, the pair were awarded fastest times on all but one special stage. However, due to rules limiting average speeds, their race to the top step of the podium was thwarted as they finished third in a Ford Fiesta R5.
Championship leader Evans, from Dolgellau in Wales, was quick out of the blocks for the DMACK British Rally Team &ndash; a little too quick in fact. A total of four drivers beat the &lsquo;bogey time&rsquo; for the opening stage, a minimum time set by the rally organisers based on a limited average speed for gravel rallies. Despite completing the stage faster, all four were handed the nominal bogey time.
Displaying their rally-winning speed, Evans and Parry blasted through the second stage 7.2 seconds quicker than their nearest rival to take the early rally lead. But they dropped back to fifth after clobbering a rock and damaging a front wheel and tyre on the next test.
Undeterred, the charge was on and the pair blitzed the opposition, clawing back 12 seconds to rally leader Fredrik Ahlin on stage four through Pundershaw. However, Evans had beaten the bogey time again by an unbelievable 27 seconds &ndash; one of six drivers to do so. Receiving the nominal time again instead of his stage-winning time meant he was disadvantaged in his fight-back.
Rally organisers decided to issue an overnight statement on the situation and controversially added three chicanes to today&rsquo;s stages in a bid to bring down the speeds. However, 13 drivers still managed to beat the bogey time on stage six.
It was a disappointing set of circumstances and, even though Evans was fastest again by over eight seconds on the final test, he was forced to settle for third &ndash; making it three different tyre manufacturers on the podium.
Max Vatanen and French co-driver JJ Renucci had an encouraging run on their debut drive through the Kielder Forest stages. Vatanen is still a relative rookie in four-wheel-drive but he progressed well to finish tenth overall.
It&rsquo;s only his second event in the Fiesta R5 but Vatanen was keen to complete the mileage to boost his experience on the tricky, high-speed stages &ndash; renowned for catching drivers out with their deep ditches and blind crests.
It was a strong home event for tyre manufacturer DMACK, setting the most amount of fastest times over the weekend. DMACK-equipped Matt Edwards extended his lead in BRC2 after taking a dominant win in the category while Donnie MacDonald made a last minute switch to DMACK to win the BRC National Rally Cup.
Rob Duggan took victory in the DMACK Junior British Rally Championship for the second time while round one winner Gus Greensmith was second.
Elfyn Evans said: &ldquo;While we were fastest over most of the event, the problem on stage three knocked us back and the timing issue made our fight-back even harder, so we weren&rsquo;t able to challenge for the win. It&rsquo;s an unfortunate situation as we are there to compete against each other and on this occasion it just wasn&rsquo;t possible. Once again the roads were great fun to drive on and the car and tyres both worked well.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen said: &ldquo;It was nice to be back on gravel again and these stages in Kielder were a really big challenge. It was important for me to get this experience and, once I was more confident after the first few stages, we were able to increase our speed and push some more. We made good progress today but it was definitely a fast, tricky rally.&rdquo;
Glenn Patterson, DMACK British Rally Team manager, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had an impressive debut for the new DMACK gravel tyre, setting fastest times in direct competition with the other tyre manufacturers. It&rsquo;s a shame that didn&rsquo;t translate into a better result for Elfyn and we hope organisers of future events take appropriate steps to ensure this situation isn&rsquo;t repeated.&rdquo;Tue, 03 May 2016 08:22:00 +0000DMACK Beats World's Best On Landmark WRC Rallyhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-beats-world-s-best-on-landmark-wrc-rallyhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-beats-world-s-best-on-landmark-wrc-rallyDMACK celebrated the end of an era in style when Ott T&auml;nak set a final-day fastest stage time on the last ever FIA World Rally Championship event for its Chinese-made gravel tyres.
T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder scored a series of top stage times for the DMACK World Rally Team over the weekend and even staged an early challenge for the overall rally lead at this weekend&rsquo;s Rally Argentina.
Over 65,000 eager rally fans crammed into the 16.32km El Condor &ndash; Copina stage today to witness T&auml;nak beat the world&rsquo;s best &ndash; even with an intense final day battle for the rally victory going on around him. Conditions were some of the toughest of the weekend but, despite the disadvantage of running first on the road, DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 gravel tyre excelled in the soft surfaces.
T&auml;nak went a full three seconds clear at the top &ndash; the stage victory was DMACK&rsquo;s first since 2012 when Evgeny Novikov topped the time-sheets at Rally de Espa&ntilde;a.
T&auml;nak and M&otilde;lder had already set the stages alight over the weekend and were consistently the fastest Ford crew in their Fiesta RS WRC. They were on the pace from the very first blast through the streets of Cordoba on Thursday evening after setting third fastest time to hold an overnight position just 0.1 seconds adrift of the lead.
Their run continued on Friday when crews headed south for a loop of stages around the Santa Rosa valley. However, after completing stage four with a broken alternator belt and making extensive repairs after the finish, they were unable to make it to the next test &ndash; their Fiesta grinding to a halt on the road section.
But they returned on Saturday to stage a remarkable comeback &ndash; jumping six places up the leaderboard as they stormed through the rocky roads around host town Villa Carlos Paz. An inspiring drive today over the lunar landscape at El Condor saw them top the time-sheets to maintain both their and DMACK&rsquo;s championship challenges.
The fourth round of the world series took DMACK to the only South American round of the championship, home to the firm&rsquo;s best ever WRC result of fourth in 2012. Its DMG+2 tyres have traditionally performed well in the soft, sandy surfaces but it&rsquo;s all change for the future as part of the company&rsquo;s drive to attract a manufacturer team for next season.
Since becoming an official tyre supplier to the WRC in 2011, DMACK tyres have been designed in the UK but manufactured in China. However, all future WRC tyres will be made in the UK in a bid to ramp up both development and performance and mount a serious challenge to Michelin and Pirelli.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;This event marks the end of an era for DMACK and the start of an exciting future for us. It means a lot to everyone involved to score a fastest time &ndash; proving our tyre can compete with other manufacturers on the same cars. We&rsquo;ve been working hard on development and I&rsquo;m confident we can give Ott the products he needs to demonstrate both his and our ability during the rest of the season. The WRC is a fantastic platform for us and we really enjoy the intense rivalry and competition it provides.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;It was disappointing to retire on Friday but we had a really good weekend here in Argentina. I was pushing hard everywhere I could and the times showed, we were fastest Ford in the stages. I really enjoyed the rally, it was great fun and amazing to see so many fans on the stages. Now, with the new tyres coming for Portugal, I&rsquo;m really motivated and looking forward to that event.&rdquo;Mon, 25 Apr 2016 08:00:00 +0000DMACK Drivers Follow Flying Fathers In Kielderhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-drivers-follow-flying-fathers-in-kielderhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-drivers-follow-flying-fathers-in-kielderMSA British Rally Championship leader Elfyn Evans and DMACK British Rally Team partner Max Vatanen will both be hoping to follow in the footsteps of their fathers next weekend when they tackle the Pirelli Carlisle Rally.
Both Gwyndaf Evans and Ari Vatanen are past winners of this third round of the series but the reputation of the high-speed gravel roads through Kielder forest in Northumberland means the challenge is high.
Evans, from Dolgellau, and fellow Welsh co-driver Craig Parry took first blood after victory on the opening round at the Mid Wales Stages and were leading on the Circuit of Ireland rally before a mechanical failure forced them into retirement.
With a 20-point championship advantage, they come to the event direct from Rally Argentina and will be gunning for another solid result to consolidate their championship campaign. Evans has competed on the Kielder stages before and knows the high-speed roads through the vast forest complex demand respect.
Vatanen and French co-driver JJ Renucci are tackling the event for the first time so the challenge is even greater. The flying Finn is still getting to grips with his four-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta R5 Evo and aims to get more miles under his belt next weekend while targeting some faster stage times.
The fast gravel stages feature flat-out blasts over blind crests, similar to his home stages in Finland, but Vatanen has been warned about Kielder&rsquo;s notorious ditches which can suck in anyone that slips just inches off the racing line.
Based in Carlisle, it&rsquo;s also the home event for the DMACK team. After months of intense development, the tyre company will introduce its new British-made gravel tyres for the first time next weekend. Tailored specifically for R5 cars, the new DMG+2 tyres feature a revised construction and latest compounding technology to give the best possible performance.
After start ramp ceremonies at 12.30pm on Saturday, crews will tackle two stages before a remote service at Hawkhirst. Then it&rsquo;s two more tests, including a high-speed run through the 13-mile Pundershaw stage, before the overnight halt in Carlisle.
Sunday features just three stages but the final run through Chirdonhead is the longest of the rally at 16.15 miles.
The event is also round three of the DMACK Junior British Rally Championship. Asphalt ace Rob Duggan leads the series after winning in Ireland but he will be chased by Vauxhall Motorsport Junior Rally team-mate Mattias Adielsson and round one winner Gus Greensmith.
DMACK driver Matt Edwards also leads the BRC2 class and will be aiming to stretch his advantage by repeating his storming performance from the first round in Wales.
Elfyn Evans said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really looking forward to the rally, it&rsquo;s a fast event where there&rsquo;s not much margin for error and you need to be pretty precise and clean. Hopefully we can be at the front of the field again with the new gravel tyre that DMACK has introduced. I know they&rsquo;ve done quite a bit of testing with Ott Tanak so I&rsquo;m looking forward to seeing the improvements for myself.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m looking forward to being back on gravel again after the disappointment in Ireland and, having looked through some of the stage videos, they seem very high speed and a little similar to Finland. The recce will again be very important as the roads are narrow with many crests, blind corners and ditches. It will be important to not make any mistakes.&rdquo;Fri, 22 Apr 2016 13:19:00 +0000Tremendous Ten To Start Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophyhttp://dmacktyres.com/tremendous-ten-to-start-drive-dmack-fiesta-trophyhttp://dmacktyres.com/tremendous-ten-to-start-drive-dmack-fiesta-trophyTen crews representing 12 different countries will line-up for the start of the third edition of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy at Rally de Portugal next month. And, with an eclectic mix of experiences and ambitions, it looks set to be another fierce season of competition for the biggest prize in world rallying.
Boasting the most experience is 28-year-old Portuguese driver Bernardo Sousa &ndash; he has contested selected WRC 2 rounds over the previous two seasons, finished fourth in SWRC in 2011 and has 38 WRC starts to his name.
Welshman Osian Pryce comes to the series from a strong season in Junior WRC where he was one of the leading and quickest runners. He&rsquo;s joined by last year&rsquo;s Vatanen Touch winner Jon Armstrong from Northern Ireland with England&rsquo;s Gus Greensmith, current rookie champion, making it three drivers from the UK.
The series continues to attract Scandinavian rally driving sons. Finland&rsquo;s Max Vatanen returns for his third season while Oscar Solberg, son of Henning, is hoping to make it two Norwegian winners in two years.
There are four drivers making their WRC debuts on the opening round. American driver Dillon Van Way has experience of the Fiesta R2 having competed in the FIA NACAM series last year while Poland&rsquo;s Jakub Brzeziński makes the step up from his national rally series.
Nicolas Ciamin from France is the youngest of the pack aged 18 and popular Kenyan driver Karan Patel will represent the continent of Africa.
Widely considered as the most affordable way to experience the FIA World Rally Championship, the Trophy allows competitors to move into the official WRC support series.
Continuing the successful format, competitors will battle behind the wheel of identical Ford Fiesta R2T rally cars built by M-Sport and powered by Ford&rsquo;s 1.0 EcoBoost turbo-charged engine. They will use DMACK&rsquo;s latest gravel and asphalt rally tyres, which are well-proven on both surfaces,
While the huge prize of seven events in the WRC 2 championship remains, it has been split up to provide more opportunities for competitors. The driver accumulating the most points over Portugal and Poland wins two WRC 2 drives. It&rsquo;s the same situation for Poland and Finland while asphalt aces will be attracted to the pairing of Germany and Spain.
The flexible nature of the Trophy means that organisers expect the next two rounds in Poland and Finland to specifically appeal to drivers from Scandinavia and eastern Europe.
Competitors will attend M-Sport on 27-28 April for pre-season training and the opportunity to test drive the Fiesta R2T. A launch event for media will then take place at Rally de Portugal on Thursday 19 May.
Crews starting round one Rally de PortugalJon Armstrong (Northern Ireland) / Noel O&rsquo;Sullivan (Ireland) RookieJakub Brzeziński (Poland) / Bartłomiej Boba (Poland) RookieNicolas Ciamin (France) / Thibault de la Haye (France) RookieGus Greensmith (England) / Alex Gelsomino (Italy)Karan Patel (Kenya) / Phil Hall (England) RookieOsian Pryce (Wales) / Dale Furniss (Wales)Oscar Solberg (Norway) / TBA RookieBernardo Sousa (Portugal) / Hugo Magalhaes (Portugal)Dillon Van Way (USA) / Andrew Edwards (Wales) RookieMax Vatanen (Finland) / Jacques Julien Renucci (France)
Rookie Award &ndash; for drivers with less than two WRC starts at the beginning of the season.
Bernardo Sousa said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve decided to do the Trophy as it&rsquo;s a great chance to re-launch my career. My goal will be to fight for the win, I have a good knowledge of the rallies and quite a lot of experience but not much experience of two-wheel-drive so I will have to learn this. However, I&rsquo;m really happy to start the season with my home rally and support from the fans.&rdquo;
Gus Greensmith said: &ldquo;We always had a two year plan for the DMACK Trophy from the beginning and I got so much experience from it last year. It really is the strongest series in terms of competition for young drivers and I wanted to be here again to compete against the quickest people.&rdquo;
Oscar Solberg said: &ldquo;I decided to compete to get as much experience as possible of the roads and stages in WRC, with rallies on gravel and Tarmac it&rsquo;s the best option for me. The prize is great, but there are many other really good drivers so it will be tough. But I&rsquo;m already looking forward to Rally Finland.&rdquo;
Malcolm Wilson, M-Sport managing director, said: &ldquo;Once again we&rsquo;ve got a diverse group of drivers and experiences but I expect the competition to again be extremely intense. The Fiesta R2T shone on its debut in 2015 and we&rsquo;re in for another exciting year.&rdquo;
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;The DMACK Trophy is all about providing young and aspiring drivers with the opportunity to experience and compete in WRC. Once again the series has appealed to drivers from across the world and I&rsquo;m looking forward to seeing who shines above the rest.&rdquo;Wed, 20 Apr 2016 10:53:00 +0000Tough Argentina Event Expected For DMACKhttp://dmacktyres.com/tough-argentina-event-expected-for-dmackhttp://dmacktyres.com/tough-argentina-event-expected-for-dmackThe fourth round of the FIA World Rally Championship takes the DMACK World Rally Team to the only South American round of the series for next week&rsquo;s Rally Argentina. And it&rsquo;s set to be another arduous test for the firm&rsquo;s gravel tyres with contrasting surfaces, rocky roads and a mix of weather all combining to make this energetic event a real classic.
After three strong points finishes so far this season, Estonians Ott T&auml;nak and Raigo M&otilde;lder will be keen to continue that fine form with a focus on moving up the championship standings. DMACK has a strong record in Argentina, scoring its best ever WRC finish of fourth overall here in 2012, and its DMG+2 gravel tyres feel at home in the generally soft, sandy conditions.
T&auml;nak has helped DMACK to its top finishes on the first three rallies of the year and is keen to get to grips with the tricky stages next week. Based in the holiday resort of Villa Carlos Paz near Cordoba, the special stages feature both soft, sandy surfaces alongside rough, rocky sections.
The roads are known to become rutted on the second pass with jumps and river crossings commonplace and adding to the hazards drivers face. From flat-out tracks through open plains to rocky mountain roads above the clouds &ndash; this lively event has it all.
The weather can also play a major role over the rally weekend. Cold temperatures, heavy rain and fog are usual for this time of year.
WRC crews have a total of 24 DMACK DMG+2 tyres to use over the weekend with the nominated soft compound S6A expected to be run the most. Its well proven construction helps guard against punctures from the sharp rocks while the compound delivers the performance demanded.
The event kicks off with a short super-special stage in Cordoba on Thursday evening before crews trek south to the popular Santa Rosa de Calamuchita Valley to roads that haven&rsquo;t been used for four years. There&rsquo;s a loop of three stages and a short test near Carlos Paz which is repeated in the afternoon.
Saturday hosts a three-stage loop to the north-west of Carlos Paz, including two passes over the Los Gigantes &ndash; Cantera el Condor test, the longest of the weekend at 38.68km.
Sunday finishes with the high-altitude El Condor and Mina Clavero stages, carving their way through a unique lunar-like landscape high in the mountains.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;The roads in Argentina have become pretty rough over the last couple of years, demanding even more from our gravel tyres. We have a good record in these conditions, however, and once again will be supplying a number of local drivers via our partnership with the South American Rally Championship.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve never really had a clean rally in Argentina so this year I&rsquo;m hoping for a change of fortune. The stages are different to last year, maybe a little more high speed, that would be good for me as I like the faster roads. I&rsquo;m also hoping the stages are not as rough as last year, the second pass was pretty tough, but a lot also depends on the weather next week. Either way it will be a tough challenge again.&rdquo;Fri, 15 Apr 2016 11:39:00 +0000DMACK Launches New British Built WRC & WRC 2 Tyreshttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-new-british-built-wrc--wrc-2-tyreshttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-new-british-built-wrc--wrc-2-tyresAfter an intensive development programme, FIA World Rally Championship tyre supplier DMACK has launched a new range of gravel tyres, which have been designed and made in the UK and developed specifically for competitors in WRC 2 and those driving R5 class cars.
In addition, the company has created a bonus scheme rewarding WRC 2 drivers with discounted prices based on the number of events contested and their results in the WRC 2 category. A driver who wins a WRC 2 round using DMACK will receive his tyres for free on that event.
The firm has also developed new specification soft and hard gravel tyres for competitors in WRC cars with all new products available in time for Rally Portugal in May.
This now means competitors can choose from a complete range of upgraded Tarmac and gravel tyres for WRC 2 with the DMT-RC2 asphalt tyre, which clinched the most amount of fastest stage times on last weekend&rsquo;s Circuit of Ireland rally, also available.
The new gravel tyres come after three months of development testing and evaluation in Spain and UK, headed by motorsport technical director Fiorenzo Brivio and his team of technicians in England. They feature an improved construction and upgraded compounds offering enhanced performance across all surfaces and conditions.
All DMACK tyres for priority drivers in the world rally championship are now being manufactured in the UK.
Click here to download the bonus scheme information.
WRCGravel Soft: DMACK Grippa, size 215/65R15, compound GS61Gravel Hard: DMACK Grippa, size 215/65R15, compound GH21Tarmac Soft: DMACK Grippa, size 225/40R18, compound TSTarmac Hard: DMACK Grippa, size 225/40R18, compound THTarmac Wet:DMACK Grippa, size 225/40R18, compound W
WRC 2Gravel Soft: DMACK Grippa, size 215/65R15, compound GS82Gravel Hard: DMACK Grippa, size 215/65R15, compound GH42Tarmac Soft: DMACK Grippa, size 225/40R18, compound TSTarmac Hard: DMACK Grippa, size 225/40R18, compound THTarmac Wet: DMACK Grippa, size 225/40R18, compound W
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;After concentrating hard on improving our gravel products, we have now finalised the WRC range for 2016. Importantly, we have chosen to develop tyres specifically for R5 cars and competitors in WRC 2, building on our current rally winning range in this class.&rdquo;
Fiorenzo Brivio, DMACK motorsport technical director, said: &ldquo;The team in the UK has been focusing on compound and construction improvements to increase traction, braking, lateral grip and overall performance. We will play our gravel joker before Rally Portugal and have the complete new range available for this event.&rdquo;Tue, 12 Apr 2016 10:57:00 +0000DMACK Fastest As Evans Blitzes Opposition In Irelandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-fastest-as-evans-blitzes-opposition-in-irelandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-fastest-as-evans-blitzes-opposition-in-irelandDMACK&rsquo;s Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry continue to lead the 2016 MSA British Rally Championship after setting the highest number of fastest stage times and leading the iconic Circuit of Ireland rally this weekend.
The Welsh pair took the event by storm, posting quickest times on six special stages, but were forced into an early retirement on the third test yesterday while holding a commanding 12.4 second lead. Using DMACK&rsquo;s new DMT-RC2 asphalt tyre they blitzed the field, which included top drivers from the European Rally Championship equipped with Michelin and Pirelli tyres.
Evans has limited experience of the tricky Northern Irish stages but was easily the quickest driver through Thursday&rsquo;s qualifying stage &ndash; his extra soft compound tyres delivering leading performance on the muddy and treacherously slippery stage.
He continued to dominate in his Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5 car when the rally began with classic mountain and coastal stages through Glendun and Torr Head on Friday. However, an overheating engine on stage three saw him sidelined for the day. He returned today and again set fastest times on all but one of the stages he completed &ndash; enough to maintain a 20 point lead at the top of the championship table.
Max Vatanen from Finland and French co-driver Jacques-Julien Renucci had a confident Irish debut on bumpy, technical roads which are notoriously difficult to master. Cheered on by father and former world rally champion Ari, son Max mastered both the classic Irish stages and the changeable weather with style.
He was trading times with many of the local drivers and had climbed to 13th position, but a faulty oil pressure sensor on stage seven meant he had to park his Fiesta up and was unable to complete the remainder of the event.
Matt Edwards continues to lead the BRC2 category for DMACK after finishing second this weekend while Irishman Rob Duggan took a popular home win for the Vauxhall Motorsport Junior team when he sealed the top step of the podium in the DMACK Junior BRC championship.
This was the 85th running of the Circuit of Ireland &ndash; one of the oldest rallies in the world &ndash; and it was another supreme test of endurance, skill and interpretation of the weather. Sun, rain, thunder and hail all battered the region during the two-day event, making tyre choice an educated guess at best.
DMACK used both its extra soft and soft compound tyres to great effect, delivering rally-leading performance in some seriously demanding conditions. The Irish country lanes feature high-speed sections with unsettling bumps, jumps and blind crests. And when drivers cut corners in search of the quickest racing line, mud and gravel gets dragged onto the road.
While the rally was based in Belfast, Friday&rsquo;s opening day featured six stages in County Antrim split by a remote service zone. Today&rsquo;s action moved south to the fast, flowing country stages in County Down including the thrilling Hamilton&rsquo;s Folly stage with its famous jumps.
MSA British Rally Championship for Drivers1.Elfyn Evans / Craig Parry (DMACK): 502.Josh Moffett / John Rowan (Pirelli): 303.Jonathan Greer / Kirsty Riddick (Pirelli): 18
Elfyn Evans, DMACK British Rally Team driver, said: &ldquo;When things were going well we had a really strong pace and set a number of fastest times even when the leaders were battling today. Everything was working pretty well and I was pushing hard in most places. We didn&rsquo;t have the luck this weekend but it&rsquo;s encouraging to know the performance on Tarmac is there.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen, DMACK British Rally Team driver, said: &ldquo;Overall it was a really positive weekend for my first time on Tarmac with this type of car. The stages were very difficult but we had prepared well for the rally and tried to keep things steady on the first day. Everything was working really well and it&rsquo;s a shame we just couldn&rsquo;t continue to learn from today&rsquo;s stages.&rdquo;
Glenn Patterson, DMACK British Rally Team manager, said: &ldquo;The overall result wasn&rsquo;t what we were after but it&rsquo;s been a superb weekend when you consider how Elfyn and the new asphalt tyres have performed. They coped with a huge mix of difficult conditions and consistently delivered leading stage times. It was also promising to see just how competitive the Junior BRC drivers were in what was an extremely high-class field.&rdquo;Mon, 11 Apr 2016 08:14:00 +0000New Prize Structure Boosts Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophyhttp://dmacktyres.com/new-prize-structure-boosts-drive-dmack-fiesta-trophyhttp://dmacktyres.com/new-prize-structure-boosts-drive-dmack-fiesta-trophyOrganisers of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy have strengthened its position as the perfect stepping stone into the FIA World Rally Championship after announcing a new prize structure, allowing even more competitors the opportunity to win an exciting prize drive.
For the third season, the series continues to boast the biggest prize in rallying with seven rounds of the 2017 WRC 2 championship on offer. However, under a new plan submitted to the FIA for approval, this year&rsquo;s prize will be spilt to open up the opportunity to a greater number of competitors.
Events in the five-round series are set to be paired, with the driver accumulating the most points over the paired events winning the chance to drive a Fiesta R5 car on two WRC 2 rounds.
The opening round at Rally Portugal will be paired with Rally Poland and the driver scoring the most points over the two events will win two WRC 2 rallies. Poland will also be paired with Rally Finland &ndash; meaning drivers competing on all three gravel events will be in with a chance to win a prize drive on four WRC 2 rallies.
For the asphalt aces, Rally Deutschland will join Rally de Espana with another two events on offer for the person with the most points.
The seventh WRC 2 prize rally will be given to the crew who has the best result from their two WRC 2 rallies.
All cars will be prepared and run by M-Sport and use the latest DMACK tyres. The last two seasons have seen some intense competition with the champion decided on the final loop of stages on the last event.
The Vatanen Touch will continue to run alongside the series, giving competitors in their own cars the opportunity to win an additional prize at an end of season shoot-out.
Entries for the first round in Portugal close on 19 April.
Summary
Rally Portugal and Rally Poland: driver with most points wins two WRC 2 rallies in 2017. Rally Poland and Rally Finland: driver with most points wins two WRC 2 rallies in 2017. Rally Deutschland and Rally de Espana: driver with most points wins two WRC 2 rallies in 2017.
Malcolm Wilson, M-Sport managing director, said: &ldquo;The Trophy has always delivered a cost-effective and competitive platform for young drivers and the new plans will enhance that even further. It&rsquo;s all about helping talented competitors step up to the official WRC support series and there&rsquo;s now a greater chance of winning a prize drive.&rdquo;
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director said: &ldquo;The new proposals are set to boost the series even further and give more drivers a fantastic opportunity. The format will appeal to drivers from countries like Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Finland, who can win four WRC 2 events by competing on the gravel rallies.&rdquo;Fri, 08 Apr 2016 09:58:00 +0000DMACK Tackles Tough Tarmac On Circuit Of Irelandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-tackles-tough-tarmac-on-circuit-of-irelandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-tackles-tough-tarmac-on-circuit-of-irelandThe DMACK British Rally Team hopes to bolster its lead of the 2016 MSA British Rally Championship (BRC) next weekend when it travels across the Irish Sea to contest one of the oldest rallies in the world, the iconic Circuit Of Ireland.
The first Tarmac round of this year&rsquo;s revitalised championship is steeped in history and is revered for its tough, fast and high commitment roads. This is the 85th anniversary of the event which, in its heyday, took competitors on a four-day lap of the Emerald Isle.
BRC leaders Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry from Wales are aiming for a repeat performance of their opening round win on the Mid Wales Stages to consolidate their stunning start to the season. However, in contrast to the Welsh event, Evans has limited experience of the Northern Irish stages and knows the competition will be fierce when the two-day event bursts into gear on Friday morning.
Meanwhile for 25-year-old Finnish star Max Vatanen and co-driver Jacques-Julien Renucci from France, it will be another step into the unknown. Vatanen has never set foot on the island and next week&rsquo;s event will be his first Tarmac event in a four-wheel-drive car.
His only knowledge comes from father, and former world rally champion, Ari who has talked his son through the complexities of the tricky asphalt stages.
The roads are notoriously difficult and renowned for their bumps &ndash; unsettling cars and making it tough to find a comfortable set-up. Both crews will test on Monday to fine-tune their Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5 Evo cars ahead of the event.
They will be fitted with DMACK&rsquo;s latest generation asphalt tyre, the DMT-RC2. Complying with regional rally regulations, it&rsquo;s the first time the tyre has been used outside of the world rally championship after being launched at Rallye Monte Carlo in January.
The Circuit of Ireland will be run entirely within Northern Ireland and based from the King&rsquo;s Hall in Belfast. A qualifying session on Thursday will allow the top 15 drivers to choose their road position for the first taste of competition on Friday.
The opening day features six stages over challenging mountain and coast roads in County Antrim, including Glendun and Torr Head, which threads its way along the cliff-top scenic coast drive. It&rsquo;s a day for zero mistakes with only a 15-minute remote service to make running repairs and change tyres.
Saturday&rsquo;s action moves south to the fast, flowing country stages in County Down. With high hedges, gravel-lined junctions and high-speed jumps the tests through Buck&rsquo;s Head and Hamilton&rsquo;s Folly will no doubt bring the event to an exciting conclusion.
Alongside the main series, the DMACK Junior BRC runners will also battle on the Circuit, with Irish driver Rob Duggan the pre-event favourite in his Vauxhall Motorsport Adam R2. Overall crews will tackle 14 timed stages and 209km of action.
Elfyn Evans said: &ldquo;The rally is going to be a big challenge. The stages in Ireland are both technical and high speed so they require detailed pace notes, good car set-up and precision. The competition is immense, probably one of the strongest regional entries for a while, so hopefully we can push right from the start.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s my first time competing in Ireland and I&rsquo;m really excited by the thought. My dad has shared many stories about rallying in there and I know there is a lot of passion in the country for motorsport. The Circuit of Ireland has so much history and the stages require a lot of commitment so it&rsquo;s going to be a big challenge &ndash; maybe like Rally Finland on Tarmac.&rdquo;Mon, 04 Apr 2016 08:27:00 +0000Top Results Continue As DMACK Masters Mexicohttp://dmacktyres.com/top-results-continue-as-dmack-masters-mexicohttp://dmacktyres.com/top-results-continue-as-dmack-masters-mexicoThe DMACK World Rally Team continued its impressive start to the season with another strong result on the first gravel event of the 2016 FIA World Rally Championship. Rally Guanajuato Mexico was a tough endurance event but a super sixth from Ott T&auml;nak and Raigo M&otilde;lder helped DMACK maintain its fine fifth position in the race for the manufacturer championship.
While the arduous gravel roads claimed a number of the leading drivers, T&auml;nak held firm with another mistake-free drive to strengthen his position in the championship battle and ensuring DMACK finished second only to Michelin in the tyre manufacturers&rsquo; tussle. For the third event in a row, DMACK scored its best-ever overall finish on the event.
After asphalt, snow and ice on the opening two rounds, the DMACK World Rally Team headed to Mexico with its DMG+2 gravel tyre. It featured some minor revisions from last season to deal with the long stage distances and rocky roads. And that challenge peaked on the final day when competitors tackled a huge 80km stage &ndash; the longest test in WRC for over 30 years.
Despite the demanding conditions, T&auml;nak proved the performance of DMACK&rsquo;s WRC tyre. He was second fastest on stage nine, beaten by just 0.1 seconds by the eventual rally winner, in what was his best stage result on DMACK tyres.
The hard S3A compound also demonstrated impressive durability on the altitude stages. The hard compound offers stiffer tread blocks, greater high-speed stability and improved durability in the energy-soaking temperatures and rough gravel roads.
Rally Mexico burst into life with the traditional energetic ceremonial start in the stunningly colourful town of Guanajuato &ndash; a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After the opening street stage, which ran through tunnels under the town on Thursday evening, the action switched to the dirt roads traversing the Sierra de Lobos and Sierra de Guanjuato mountains.
Friday featured two passes over the 54.21km El Chocolate test while Saturday boasted two runs through Otates at 42.62km. However, both days were eclipsed by the mammoth 80km Guanajuato stage on Sunday, testing drivers&rsquo; stamina and physical endurance.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Rally Mexico provided another challenging and tough event with ideal conditions for us to continue to evolve our gravel products. We&rsquo;ve displayed both speed and endurance once again with Ott scoring another solid result against the factory teams. Development will continue ahead of the traditional European gravel events.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;The atmosphere and passionate fans really make Rally Mexico a special event and I always enjoy this rally. We continued to drive as fast as possible over the weekend, pushing when the conditions allowed and suited our team. It was a positive result as we continue our run of strong finishes and DMACK has taken some useful information from the weekend to make things even better for future gravel rallies.&rdquo;Mon, 07 Mar 2016 11:51:00 +0000DMACK Dominates With Clean Sweep Of British Victorieshttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-dominates-with-clean-sweep-of-british-victorieshttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-dominates-with-clean-sweep-of-british-victoriesDrivers using DMACK tyres took a clean sweep of wins on the opening round of the new-look MSA British Rally Championship (BRC) on the Mid Wales Stages today and now lead the various championship races.
Elfyn Evans and Craig Parry sealed the overall victory for the DMACK British Rally Team as they battled against tough winter conditions and some of the best drivers from across UK and Europe. In addition to the overall honours, DMACK drivers topped four classes, dominating the action against three other tyre manufacturers, and the DMACK squad also leads the teams&rsquo; championship.
Welshmen Evans and Parry were on home soil as they edged out Swedish driver Fredrik Ahlin in their Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5 Evo. Despite being hampered by having to clear the frozen roads this morning, the pair took the top step of the podium by 17.1 seconds. Battling snow, ice and mud, they made an inspired tyre choice on the final loop of stages, using their DMACK tyres to seal the overall win.
In a double victory, Evans played his one-off joker on this opening round &ndash; giving him the opportunity to double his points tally to take a 35 point lead.
Max Vatanen, son of 1981 world rally champion Ari, was guided by co-driver Jacques-Julien Renucci as he made his four-wheel-drive debut. Despite his lack of experience and treacherous conditions, Vatanen was second fastest on stage three but dropped time today after spending around three minutes in a Welsh ditch and finished 17th.
Matt Edwards put in a giant-killing drive to win the BRC2 class and take seventh overall in his DMACK-shod Mitsubishi Evo. He also scored points for the DMACK team enabling the squad to take an initial lead in the team&rsquo;s championship.
After a nip-and-tuck battle in the DMACK Junior BRC, Gus Greensmith in a Fiesta R2 emerged with a 11.9s lead ahead of Norway&rsquo;s Sindre Furuseth with Swede Mattias Adielsson third in a Vauxhall Adam. They&rsquo;re all chasing a funded scholarship for a step up to the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy in 2017.
Topping off the DMACK whitewash, Tony Simpson in a Fiesta ST leads the BRC4 class after a solid drive over the two days.
The Mid Wales Stages was based in Newtown with drivers tackling tricky tests through the iconic Sweet Lamb, Hafren and Myherin forests. The rally started with two night-time stages on Saturday evening over snow-covered roads before another four stages today completed the 68-mile competitive route.
Action switches to asphalt now as the DMACK team heads across the Irish Sea for the Circuit of Ireland Rally on 8-9 April.
MSA British Rally Championship for Drivers1.Elfyn Evans / Craig Parry (DMACK): 502.Fredrik Ahlin / Morton Erik Abrahamsen (Pirelli): 153.Tom Cave / James Morgan (Michelin): 10
MSA British Rally Championship for Teams1.DMACK British Rally Team (DMACK): 332.CA1 Sport (Pirelli): 253.Vauxhall Motorsport Junior Rally Team (DMACK): 11
BRC1 leader: Elfyn Evans (DMACK)BRC2 leader: Matt Edwards (DMACK)BRC3 leader: Chris Harris (Pirelli)BRC4 leader: Tony Simpson (DMACK)DMACK Junior BRC leader: Gus Greensmith (DMACK)
Elfyn Evans, DMACK British Rally Team driver, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a fantastic feeling to win the first round of this exciting and very competitive British championship. Despite it being our home event, the wintery conditions and the fact we were first on the road for the entire event, made it extremely difficult and unpredictable. Playing the joker was certainly the right move so we&rsquo;re in a fortunate position after the first event.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen, DMACK British Rally Team driver, said: &ldquo;This was a tough rally for my first time in four-wheel-drive but I&rsquo;m happy with how we managed things. We had a good feeling with the car from the start and that helped us set some good times. Yes, we made a small mistake, but I completed all the stages and got some really great experience.&rdquo;
Glenn Patterson, DMACK British Rally Team manager, said: &ldquo;The first round of the BRC was highly anticipated with some serious competition from other teams and tyre manufacturers. But we managed the challenging conditions well, Elfyn delivered a supreme performance while Max exceeded our expectations with a series of strong times. DMACK drivers are leading all but one championship and class, demonstrating the flexibility and performance of our products.&rdquo;Mon, 07 Mar 2016 09:19:00 +0000Evans And Vatanen In British Title Challenge With DMACKhttp://dmacktyres.com/evans-and-vatanen-in-british-title-challenge-with-dmackhttp://dmacktyres.com/evans-and-vatanen-in-british-title-challenge-with-dmackThe DMACK British Rally Team will kick off its first ever challenge for the MSA British Rally Championship (BRC) title when Elfyn Evans and Max Vatanen hope to repeat history on the Mid Wales Stages next weekend.
The two drivers are aiming to follow in the footsteps of their fathers, both former British rally champions, as they tackle the UK&rsquo;s revitalised premier rally series.
Welshman Evans, from Dolgellau in mid-Wales, and co-driver Craig Parry have had a stunning start to their season so far, taking WRC 2 victory on both rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship this year. Armed with a little local knowledge, Evans is hoping the switch to gravel will help him continue that form when the Newtown-based event gets into gear on Saturday evening.
His father Gwyndaf was crowned British champion 20 years ago in 1996 and Evans will be aiming to get his campaign off to the best possible start at the wheel of his Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5 Evo.
The iconic Vatanen name will also make an historic return to the Welsh forest stages next week. Forty years after rally legend, former world champion and current DMACK brand ambassador Ari Vatanen claimed the British title, his 25-year-old son Max will tackle the series.
Co-driven by Jacques-Julien Renucci, Finnish-born Vatanen is stepping up to four-wheel-drive for the first time and will be aiming to build both his speed and experience as the championship progresses.
Both Fiesta R5s will be equipped with the latest generation DMACK tyres in a selection of patterns and compounds specifically designed to tackle the wet, muddy forest tracks. The opening round of the BRC features a number of stages through the Hafren and Myherin forest complexes, including the iconic Sweet Lamb test, to the south-west of Newtown.
After pre-event reconnaissance next Friday, the event starts on Saturday evening with two night stages covering 25.67 miles. Sunday offers two loops of two stages, punctuated by a service halt in Newtown, covering an additional 42.35 miles before finish podium celebrations at 3pm.
Alongside the main series, the high-anticipated DMACK Junior BRC has attracted 16 entries from UK, Belgium, Sweden and Australia. With the winner awarded a WRC scholarship into the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy in 2017, the championship is set to deliver some supreme battles among the stars of tomorrow.
This year&rsquo;s invigorated BRC is promising to be one of the most exciting championships in recent years with the UK&rsquo;s top events across England, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales promising a fierce challenge.
Elfyn Evans said: &ldquo;The BRC has attracted a really competitive entry and I&rsquo;m looking forward to starting our campaign on my home event in Wales. We&rsquo;ve had a strong start to the season in WRC 2 so hopefully I can continue that form. However, the mid-Wales forests are fast, tough and unpredictable, and there are some very quick and experienced drivers, so it will certainly be an exciting event.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve been looking forward to the first BRC event for months. This is a great opportunity for me and, as it&rsquo;s my first time in a four-wheel-drive car, it will also be a big learning season &ndash; but I&rsquo;m ready for the challenge. I&rsquo;ve been working at M-Sport to learn as much as possible about the Fiesta R5 and am looking forward to working alongside Elfyn during the year.&rdquo;Fri, 26 Feb 2016 12:41:00 +0000Mexico’s Multiple Highs To Deliver Ultra Challengehttp://dmacktyres.com/mexico--s-multiple-highs-to-deliver-ultra-challengehttp://dmacktyres.com/mexico--s-multiple-highs-to-deliver-ultra-challengeA number of highs related to next week&rsquo;s Rally Guanajuato Mexico will see the third round of the FIA World Rally Championship provide a huge challenge for DMACK as the series returns to gravel for the first time since September.
High altitudes, high ambient temperatures and high stage distances will all contribute to what&rsquo;s expected to be one of the toughest editions of this event. However, the challenge is set to peak on the final day when the DMACK World Rally Team tackles a huge 80km stage &ndash; the longest test in WRC for over 30 years.
After the asphalt of Monte Carlo and snow of Sweden, Mexico hosts the third different surface in as many events. The stages around Leon are literally the pinnacle of the championship &ndash; reaching the highest point of the season at 2737m.
And it&rsquo;s a compact route, with nearly 40% of the entire distance comprising competitive stages. But the mix of loose and abrasive surfaces, together with high speeds, delivers a real test for tyres and forces drivers and teams to manage their allocation effectively.
DMACK has nominated its DMG+2 tyre, which features some minor revisions from 2015, in the hard S3A compound to provide a mix of performance and durability. The hard compound means tread blocks are stiffer, offering greater high-speed stability and improved durability in the energy-soaking temperatures and rough gravel roads.
Generally punctures are not a huge issue in Mexico and DMACK&rsquo;s gravel tyre must offer enough protection to give drivers the confidence to carry just one spare and keep weight to a minimum.
Tyre management in Mexico means checking and adjusting tyre pressures, which can rise and fall with altitude changes, and complex tyre changes during each loop of stages to ensure the best possible performance on the long speed tests.
The DMACK World Rally Team crew of Ott T&auml;nak and Raigo M&otilde;lder will be allowed a maximum of 28 tyres fitted to their M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta RS WRC next week. The Estonian pair were the stars of last year&rsquo;s event after submerging their Fiesta in a lake on the opening day and then returning, after a mechanical miracle from M-Sport, to finish the rally.
But 2015 is firmly in the past and T&auml;nak will be aiming to improve on his fifth place in Sweden two weeks ago to consolidate his championship challenge and bolster DMACK&rsquo;s fifth position in the manufacturer series.
Rally Mexico is renowned for the energetic ceremonial start in the stunningly colourful town of Guanajuato &ndash; a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Crowds flock from afar to watch the opening street stage running through tunnels under the town on Thursday evening.
The high-action route then switches to the dirt roads traversing the Sierra de Lobos and Sierra de Guanjuato mountains. Friday features two passes over the 54.21km El Chocolate test while Saturday boasts two runs through Otates at 42.62km. However, both days are eclipsed by the mammoth Guanajuato test, which could see a final day sting in the tail while also testing drivers&rsquo; stamina and physical endurance.
Crews will finish back at the Leon Rally Campus on Sunday afternoon after 21 stages covering 399.71km.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Once again the Rally Mexico organisers have put together an itinerary which will really test tyres and drivers. We&rsquo;ve got some long distances between tyre changes so a clever strategy to manage tyre wear will be crucial. However, we have good experience from this event and we&rsquo;re confident again in our products.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s really nice to be going to Mexico, it&rsquo;s an event I enjoy and the atmosphere and energy, especially at the start, is something really special. The rally is always a big challenge. It&rsquo;s the first hot rally of the season and every day has got some very long stages &ndash; this is a challenge that I enjoy. The final day will be something special and I&rsquo;m looking forward to it a lot.&rdquo;Fri, 26 Feb 2016 10:46:00 +0000Best Winter Finish As DMACK Nets Top Five In Swedenhttp://dmacktyres.com/best-winter-finish-as-dmack-nets-top-five-in-swedenhttp://dmacktyres.com/best-winter-finish-as-dmack-nets-top-five-in-swedenDMACK posted its best-ever finish on snow, and its best overall result in three years, after another top performance from DMACK World Rally Team&rsquo;s Ott T&auml;nak and Raigo M&otilde;lder on the second round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) at Rally Sweden this weekend.
Estonian T&auml;nak finished fifth overall, helping DMACK to consolidate its fifth position in the battle for the WRC manufacturers&rsquo; championship, and ensuring the tyre manufacturer finished second only to Michelin on the dramatic event.
Rally Sweden is the only winter round of the world championship and competitors used DMACK&rsquo;s specialised, rally-winning DMG-ICE tyre. With a unique V-style tread pattern and 384 metal pins, it&rsquo;s perfectly designed for frozen conditions and took a dominant 1-2 in WRC 2 last year.
It&rsquo;s one of DMACK&rsquo;s most advanced products with a huge number of technical variables, including stud length, drilling method and glue type, all determining the final performance outcome.
However, this week&rsquo;s edition was the toughest in recent years due to the absence of snow and ice. Concerns that the gravel roads would rip the metal studs from tyres and create a safety risk caused rally organisers to cancel nine of the 21 stages, mainly from Saturday and Sunday&rsquo;s itinerary.
Even with the challenging conditions and lack of winter weather, DMACK&rsquo;s ice tyre performed exceptionally well &ndash; delivering a high level of stud retention to help T&auml;nak challenge for stage wins and score a top-five result. He was narrowly pipped to a stage victory on the tricky second pass through the R&ouml;jden test on Friday, being edged out by just 1.3 seconds.
In addition to T&auml;nak securing his best result of the season so far at the wheel of his M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta RS WRC, it was also the first event for the two-car Drive DMACK Trophy Team in the support WRC 2 series.
Norwegians Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan, current Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy champions, kicked off their huge prize drive season with eighth place in their Fiesta R5. Team-mates Sander P&auml;rn and James Morgan were less fortunate, retiring with an overheating engine on the opening day. They rejoined the event but slid off the road just metres from the finish line today.
While this year&rsquo;s Rally Sweden moved south to the city of Karlstad, the special stages were held much further north. Friday featured two loops of stages, which stretched across the border to Norway and were generally well coated with snow.
However, Saturday and Sunday stages were very different with much more gravel making conditions pretty extreme.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;The talk this weekend was all about the extreme conditions and how tyres would cope with the lack of snow and ice. However, our winter tyre has benefitted from a number of developments this year and was really competitive in the proper winter conditions on Friday. It also coped remarkably well in the worst of the gravel with virtually no loss of studs."
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s another strong result for us on what was a very hard rally. I really enjoyed Friday a lot, the conditions were good and we were able to push for top times and a podium position. Saturday was more difficult and the stages were so fast that it was important to be careful. Again we didn&rsquo;t make any mistakes so overall it&rsquo;s been a strong start to the championship for us.&rdquo;Mon, 15 Feb 2016 08:44:00 +0000Tough Technical Sweden Will Test Studded Tyreshttp://dmacktyres.com/tough-technical-sweden-will-test-studded-tyreshttp://dmacktyres.com/tough-technical-sweden-will-test-studded-tyresNext week&rsquo;s Rally Sweden, the only winter rally in the FIA World Rally Championship, is set to provide one of the toughest tests of the season for tyre manufacturer DMACK and its customers.
Snow and ice-covered roads demand a very special tyre, with numerous technical variables all contributing to the end performance. DMACK has updated its DMG-ICE tyre, which has already proved its potential taking Jari Ketomaa and Eyvind Brynildsen to a dominant 1-2 in WRC 2 last season, with a number of tweaks to boost its performance even further.
The unique V-style tread pattern remains. allowing the tyre to be used on either side of the car and giving drivers enhanced flexibility. However, DMACK has made a few modifications to the compound and studding system to improve grip, traction and all-important stud retention.
Each tyre is equipped with 384 metal pins which bite into the frozen surfaces and provide impressive grip. But warmer temperatures next week in Sweden look likely to increase exposed gravel on many stages, especially on second pass, which rips studs from the tyres.
Studded winter tyres are designed specifically to deliver high levels of traction on snow and frozen roads but the absence of ice is likely to play havoc with stud retention and force drivers to cleverly manage tyre allocations during the event.
DMACK World Rally Team drivers Ott T&auml;nak and Raigo M&otilde;lder are looking forward to tackling the high-speed Sweden tests in their Ford Fiesta RS WRC. They will be hoping to build on their seventh place on round one at Monte Carlo, which also placed the DMACK team fifth in the race for the manufacturer world title.
It&rsquo;s also the opening rally in the WRC 2 campaign for the Drive DMACK Trophy Team. Norwegians Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan, current Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy champions, take up their prize drive at the wheel of an M-Sport-run Fiesta R5. They are joined by Estonian Sander P&auml;rn and Welsh co-driver James Morgan, winners of the one-make series in 2014.
The event is the only winter rally of the season and has moved base further south to the city of Karlstad this year. The action gets underway with a popular blast around Karlstad&rsquo;s trotting track, which attracts thousands of fans, on Thursday evening.
Much of Friday&rsquo;s action takes place in Norway with a remote service, while Saturday and Sunday stages are based around last year&rsquo;s host town Hagfors. A quarter of the tests are new and the rally features no mid-day service at all &ndash; placing even more pressure on crews to have a mistake free run. They will tackle 21 timed stages and 331km of competitive action.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;This is our sixth Rally Sweden and you never know what the event will bring - it is a hugely demanding rally for tyres. DMACK had an excellent result last year with a strong first and second in WRC 2 and our tyre really suited those conditions, but this year is looking much different with almost no snow. We&rsquo;ve made a few performance tweaks to the DMG-ICE winter tyre but, if the conditions are above freezing as predicted, then it&rsquo;s going to be very difficult with stud retention. A clever strategy to manage tyres will be critical."
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;I really like Rally Sweden, it&rsquo;s usually an enjoyable event and a fast rally where you can get a really nice feeling. Hopefully we will have enough snow this year but I remember even last year the second pass had lots of gravel and it was very tough on tyres. It will take some clever driving to manage the situation.&rdquo;Fri, 05 Feb 2016 11:54:00 +0000Fiesta Trophy Champions Join DMACK Trophy Teamhttp://dmacktyres.com/fiesta-trophy-champions-join-dmack-trophy-teamhttp://dmacktyres.com/fiesta-trophy-champions-join-dmack-trophy-teamCurrent Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy champions Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan will begin their 2016 prize drive at next week&rsquo;s Rally Sweden as part of the new Drive DMACK Trophy Team.
The new team will also field 2014 winners Sander P&auml;rn and James Morgan &ndash; both sets of crews being awarded the biggest prize in world rallying as part of their Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy titles.
Norwegians Aasen and Engan will effectively be on home soil next week with the Swedish event crossing the border into Norway for the majority of the special stage action on Friday. After winning their prize on the final rally of last year&rsquo;s season in Spain, the pair are pleased to be stepping up to the Fiesta R5 on a surface they are relatively familiar with.
Estonian P&auml;rn, with Welsh co-driver James Morgan, has had an outing on snow already this year &ndash; finishing fifth overall on the Arctic Lapland Rally last weekend. They&rsquo;re also keen to build on their 2015 season with a fresh and more experienced approach.
Meanwhile, registrations for this year&rsquo;s Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy are filling fast with just two week&rsquo;s left until the first closing date. Competitors from across the world will once again battle in identical Ford Fiesta R2 cars run by M-Sport across five FIA World Rally Championship events.
It&rsquo;s the most affordable way for young drivers to taste action on the world stages and has constantly proven to be the most competitive one-make series at that level.
In addition to the main prize of a full season in WRC 2, competitors can also battle for the Rookie and Vatanen Touch Awards &ndash; which sees finalists contest an end-of-season shoot-out for another prize drive.
More information on the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy is available at www.drivedmack.com.
Three Questions to 24-year-old Marius Aasen:
Are you looking forward to stepping up to the Ford Fiesta R5?
MA: It&rsquo;s going to be a really great car to drive. I&rsquo;ve driven the R5 in the UK last year, have just shaken it down at M-Sport this week and we are testing on Monday, and the car feels really good. It&rsquo;s a big step up from the R2 but I felt pretty comfortable with it quite quickly. I&rsquo;m happy that we are starting our season in Sweden, I&rsquo;m familiar with this surface and remember some of the stages from the last time I competed in 2012.
How have you been preparing for 2016?
MA: I visited M-Sport this week to learn more about the car and how the team works and we will be testing on Monday to learn about the DMACK studded tyres and just get a good feeling before the start of the rally. Like most people, I&rsquo;ve been watching the onboard videos of the stages and working with Veronica to make sure we are prepared as much as possible.
What has competing in the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy taught you?
MA: The last two years in the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy have really helped me learn how to manage situations and think about strategy &ndash; and that&rsquo;s definitely made me a smarter driver. We have to learn to manage tyre allocations and drive clever through some tough stage conditions. It&rsquo;s about driving at the right speed over the whole weekend. The Trophy is also like a big family and it builds many relationships between the team, mechanics and other competitors.
Three Questions to 23-year-old Sander P&auml;rn:
How was the Arctic Lapland Rally?
SP: It was a very good rally to prepare for Sweden. We completed all the stages and it was my first drive with a rally car this winter and also my first time using the wider DMACK studded tyres. It was a big learning curve but also very beneficial ahead of Sweden.
What is the aim for this season?
SP: Last year didn&rsquo;t really go to plan for us so we took the decision to focus on 2016. It&rsquo;s great to be able to start again with a full programme and we are approaching it with much more experience this year and more seat time in the Fiesta R5. I&rsquo;m not worrying too much about the results but I will focus on my own performance and give the best I have.
How did competing in the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy help?
SP: The Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy was the best possible way to start my WRC career. It gave me experience in a competitive environment but also put me on an equal level with all the other drivers &ndash; that helps you see where are your strengths and weaknesses and where you need to improve. We had a big battle all season and winning the prize has given me a big step up.Thu, 04 Feb 2016 13:08:00 +0000DMACK Scores Top Finish On Tough Monte Carlo Openerhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-scores-top-finish-on-tough-monte-carlo-openerhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-scores-top-finish-on-tough-monte-carlo-openerDMACK started its 2016 FIA World Rally Championship campaign in style this weekend when a solid debut for its new DMT-RC2 asphalt rally tyre saw the manufacturer score its best-ever finish on the season-opening Rallye Monte Carlo.
The new tyre helped take DMACK World Rally Team driver Ott T&auml;nak to an excellent seventh overall finish and placed the team fifth in the race for the Manufacturer Championship, sealing the team&rsquo;s top result on the magical Monte.
The controlled drive from Estonians T&auml;nak and Raigo M&otilde;lder saw them master the mixed conditions over the four-day event, which kicked off with a glitzy opening ceremony outside Monte Carlo Casino on Thursday evening.
It was a strong start to DMACK&rsquo;s sixth season as an authorised tyre supplier to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) as the iconic event lived up to its legendary reputation.
T&auml;nak, once again piloting an M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta RS WRC, had to cope with a diverse range of road conditions &ndash; ranging from dry and damp asphalt to ice and snow-covered frozen asphalt roads. Choosing tyres over the weekend involved a mix of experience and skill with a degree of luck and compromise as weather conditions changed.
The tough Monte event saw T&auml;nak use DMACK&rsquo;s all-new range of asphalt tyres, developed specifically to compete at the top of the sport against tyre giants Michelin and Pirelli. The DMT-RC2 featured a completely new tread pattern and latest generation compounding, resulting in a significant step forward in performance.
T&auml;nak used new extra soft and soft compounds alongside DMT-ICE winter tyres in studded form to extract traction and grip from the frozen surfaces.
Monte Carlo was a tough start to the season. One of the most famous and respected events, the timed special stages wind their way through the high-altitude mountain passes. Most of the competitive element was based in the town of Gap in the Hautes Alpes region of France.
After two night stages on Thursday, Friday&rsquo;s action was played out north of Gap over a three-stage loop. Then competitors returned to Monaco on Saturday via the classic Sisteron test and the huge 51.55km runs through Lardier et Valen&ccedil;a - Faye.
The rally came to an exciting finish today when action included the legendary Col de Turini where thousands of fans lined the iconic mountain pass. In total, 377.59km across 16 timed special stages were contested before finish podium celebrations back in the principality.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve made a big step forward with our new asphalt tyre and everyone is encouraged with such a strong result on its debut. With lots of performance data from this tough event, we&rsquo;re well equipped to make even further improvements for the remainder of the season. Overall it&rsquo;s been an extremely positive event and a strong start to the new season for the DMACK World Rally Team.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had a challenging weekend but overall it&rsquo;s a good start to the championship on one of the toughest events. DMACK has made good improvements and we&rsquo;ve got some really useful and positive experience from this event. I&rsquo;ve driven more or less a perfect rally and we pushed when we could when the conditions suited us more. Now we move to Sweden and I event I really enjoy.&rdquo;Mon, 25 Jan 2016 09:07:00 +0000DMACK Launches WRC Campaign With New Tyre Rangehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-wrc-campaign-with-new-tyre-rangehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-launches-wrc-campaign-with-new-tyre-rangeDMACK will kick off its hotly-anticipated sixth season as an authorised tyre supplier to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) with a number of firsts at next week’s traditional season-opener Rallye Monte Carlo.
The iconic and hugely challenging event will see DMACK launch its range of new performance products for WRC and compete with a WRC Team for the first time against the likes of Volkswagen and Hyundai for the WRC Manufacturer world title.
Estonians Ott Tänak and Raigo Mõlder will contest all 14 rounds for the recently-launched DMACK World Rally Team at the wheel of an M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta RS WRC – their second full season in a WRC car. Tänak raised eyebrows on last year’s event when running as high as second before dropping time after sliding off the road.
The tough Monte event will see DMACK introduce its all-new asphalt tyre developed specifically to compete at the top of the sport, going head-to-head with tyre giants Michelin and Pirelli. The DMT-RC2 sports a completely new tread pattern, latest generation compounding and redesigned construction to significantly improve performance – all developed by new technical director Fiorenzo Brivio and the firm’s technical partners.
New extra soft and soft compounds will be available to competitors along with revised versions of its DMT-ICE winter tyres in studded and non-studded form. The studded tyre is equipped with nearly 200 metal pins – each protruding 2mm to help bite into the frozen ice and extract as much grip as possible from the cold conditions.
Crews will have the choice of four different tyres, using a maximum of 39 over the weekend, to tackle the extreme adventure.
Monte Carlo is the toughest way to begin the season. It’s one of the most famous, well-known and respected rally events, providing a unique challenge for both competitors and tyre manufacturers.
The traditional asphalt speed tests ribbon their way through the high-altitude mountain passes and it’s that terrain, mixed with the traditional tough winter conditions, which make the event a classic.
Experience of the conditions, predicting the weather and making compromising decisions around tyre choice can make a winning difference. Drivers can expect to face snow, ice, dry and wet asphalt – often all in the same special stage.
The event is once again based in the town of Gap in the Hautes Alpes region of France, however it kicks off with a glitzy start outside the Casino in Monaco on Thursday evening before crews tackle two night-time stages on the way north to Gap.
Friday’s action is held further north and sees two passes over a three-stage loop in the Hautes Alpes and Isère regions. Then competitors return to Monaco on Saturday via the classic Sisteron test and the huge 51.55km runs through Lardier et Valença - Faye.
Sunday sees more familiar territory with three stages taking in the legendary Col de Turini where thousands of fans line the mountain pass to catch some of the most exciting action the event has to offer.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: “Monte Carlo is renowned for its classic format and hugely demanding conditions where there is a real focus on tyre choice and performance. We’ve been working hard on asphalt development and have made some significant steps in performance. The progress has really motivated everyone in DMACK and we’re all excited to get the new season underway.”
Ott Tänak said: “Monte Carlo is a special rally to start off the season and you always have to expect the unexpected. We have competed on the rally twice before and have good experience but have a new team and new tyres this year. If everything comes together for us and works well then I’m sure we can be competitive.”Fri, 15 Jan 2016 12:05:00 +0000Evans And Vatanen Back in British Rallying With DMACKhttp://dmacktyres.com/evans-and-vatanen-back-in-british-rallying-with-dmackhttp://dmacktyres.com/evans-and-vatanen-back-in-british-rallying-with-dmackWorld rally star Elfyn Evans and Finnish sensation Max Vatanen will spearhead DMACK’s challenge on the revitalised 2016 MSA British Rally Championship. The two drivers are hoping to follow in the footsteps of their fathers, both former British rally champions, when they tackle the UK’s premier rally series for the DMACK British Rally Team.
Welshman Evans, 27 from Dolgellau in mid-Wales, comes from a full World Rally Championship season with the M-Sport team. He scored two podiums last year, with a career-best second on the Tour de Corse in October, and will certainly be a contender for the coveted British title.
His father Gwyndaf was crowned British champion 20 years ago in 1996 and finished runner-up four times. Elfyn will dovetail his title challenge at the wheel of the team’s Ford Fiesta R5 with a WRC 2 campaign for M-Sport and will be co-driven by Craig Parry.
The iconic Vatanen name also returns to the UK. Forty years after rally legend, former world champion and current DMACK brand ambassador Ari Vatanen claimed the British title, his 25-year-old son Max will tackle the series. Max has competed in the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy for the past two seasons but makes the step up to four-wheel-drive for the first time this year.
Both Ford Fiesta R5s will be equipped with the latest generation DMACK tyres. The tyre manufacturer has used the world series to develop its products and will have a new and upgraded range of gravel and asphalt products available for competitors in all classes of the BRC this year.
DMACK is also providing a huge prize for the sport’s up-and-coming young stars. The winner of the DMACK Junior BRC will receive a helping hand into the WRC with a scholarship to the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy worth £60,000.
This year’s invigorated BRC is set to be one of the most exciting championships in recent years with the UK’s top events across England, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales promising a fierce challenge. The series kicks into action with the Mid Wales Stages on 5-6 March.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “We are really excited with the revived BRC and keen to be involved. Committing to a two-car campaign was the obvious choice for us and we have a really enthusiastic line-up with Elfyn and Max. Not only are they up for the challenge but there’s a huge historical significance with their fathers both being former British Rally Champions. Elfyn’s presence in the BRC will really help young drivers progress as I believe he will provide a competitive benchmark and give them something to aim for."
Elfyn Evans said: “It’s great to be back in the BRC during a revival year which sees the championship organisers putting so much effort into getting the series back to a high level. It’s also exciting to join the DMACK team alongside Max and to start our campaign on my home event at the Mid Wales Stages will definitely be a special feeling. While I will be pushing on every rally, the events will also provide us with valuable seat time in the Ford Fiesta R5 for our challenge in the WRC 2 championship.”
Max Vatanen said: “I’ve heard so much about the stages in the BRC so I’m really looking forward to the first event. The championship will provide me with some great experience and the support from my father and my new team-mate Elfyn will be extremely valuable. I don’t have much knowledge of the UK, especially on Tarmac, so it will be a big learning season for me but I’m ready for the challenge it brings.”Wed, 13 Jan 2016 09:21:00 +0000DMACK With M-Sport And Motorsport News Launch Young Driver Awardhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-joins-forces-with-m-sport-and-motorsport-news-to-launch-young-driver-awardhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-joins-forces-with-m-sport-and-motorsport-news-to-launch-young-driver-awardDMACK has partnered with rally preparation experts M-Sport and top motorsport publication Motorsport News, launching a new award to find the next rising star to join the DMACK British Rally Team.
The DMACK M-Sport Motorsport News Rally Driver Award is the second initiative introduced by DMACK to support career progression among competitors in the new-look 2016 MSA British Rally Championship (BRC).
One driver will be selected from each BRC round by a panel of judges and will be joined in an end-of-season shoot-out by wildcards from other UK championships including the BTRDA Rally Series. Finalists will undergo a series of driving skills, physical and media assessments with the winner getting a chance to join the DMACK team for its 2017 BRC campaign.
The judges will include M-Sport boss Malcolm Wilson, Motorsport News national rallying editor Jack Benyon, 2001 WRC champion co-driver Robert Reid, DMACK brand ambassador Ari Vatanen and DMACK directors Dick Cormack and Glenn Patterson.
The award increases DMACK’s presence in the revived BRC. In addition to today’s separate announcement that it will run a two-car team for Elfyn Evans and Max Vatanen, DMACK is also supporting the Junior BRC with a prize worth £60,000 to help the champion step up to the world series.
The DMACK M-Sport Motorsport News Rally Driver Award will be officially launched at Autosport International on Thursday.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “This award is set to further inspire career-focused drivers and, along with the prize from the DMACK Junior BRC, will ensure competitors in the British championship have some great opportunities to progress their careers both within the series and onwards to world rallying. We want to reward drivers who have the ambition, passion and drive to reach the highest ranks of the sport.”
Malcolm Wilson OBE, M-Sport managing director, said: "The 2016 British Rally Championship looks as though it's going to be a really exciting championship. I'm sure that we will see a lot of young talent signing up for the series and the DMACK M-Sport Motorsport News Award is a great way of supporting - and discovering - the talent UK rallying has to offer."
Kevin Turner, Motorsport News editor, said: “One of our big frustrations is seeing talented drivers not get the opportunities they deserve. Hopefully this will go some way to helping those drivers, and it is to DMACK and M-Sport’s great credit that they are throwing their weight behind the initiative. The signs are that the rebirth of the British Rally Championship will really give this country a genuinely competitive and entertaining step towards the world stage.”Wed, 13 Jan 2016 09:14:00 +0000DMACK Partners Junior British Rally Championship To Create Young Driver Pathway To WRChttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-partners-junior-british-rally-championship-to-create-young-driver-pathway-to-wrchttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-partners-junior-british-rally-championship-to-create-young-driver-pathway-to-wrcDMACK continues to support the new-look MSA British Rally Championship with the creation of the DMACK Junior BRC category and the offer of a subsidised prize drive in the 2017 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy, worth &pound;60,000, for the winning driver.
The new series will see DMACK create a career ladder to help bring young drivers from a club rallying level in the UK, right to the top of the FIA World Rally Championship. As part of the package, the Junior BRC category will be supplied by DMACK tyres throughout the 2016 season.
DMACK is synonymous with encouraging young driver development and this commitment will see the BRC Junior Champion step up to the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy and tackle five rounds of the world championship at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta R2.
The DMACK-backed Fiesta ST Trophy in the BTRDA Rally Series will help feed young drivers from a club level into the Junior BRC where they can then progress to the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. From there, the winner is rewarded with a full season in R5 machinery in WRC 2, currently the biggest prize in rallying, with the opportunity to move into the newly-launched DMACK World Rally Team.
Open to drivers under the age of 26, the DMACK Junior BRC will be a competitive proving ground for crews as they get the chance to tackle some of the best forest stages and Tarmac tests across the British Isles in FIA-homologated R2 cars.
It&rsquo;s one of the most competitive categories and will see drivers battle it out in a selection of vehicles from manufacturers including Citroen, Ford, Peugeot, Renault and Vauxhall.
They will use DMACK&rsquo;s range of DMG2 gravel and DMT-RC asphalt tyres, which have already proven their performance on some of the toughest world championship stages. During Wales Rally GB this year, the UK&rsquo;s round of the WRC, drivers using DMACK tyres filled 10 of the top-11 places in the RC4 class for two-wheel-drive cars.
Alongside the Junior BRC, DMACK will also field a two-car Fiesta R5 team in the main BRC championship with Max Vatanen, son of 1981 world champion Ari, already confirmed as one of the drivers.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;In addition to supplying performance tyre products, the DMACK ethos is built around helping career-focused drivers through the ranks of the sport. The Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy has been hugely competitive and successful &ndash; proving the performance of our products on two-wheel-drive cars on the world&rsquo;s toughest stages &ndash; and we are delighted to be able to link into that from our home rally championship. It&rsquo;s a huge prize and one which we are sure will create some excellent competition.&rdquo;
Iain Campbell, BRC championship manager, said: &ldquo;DMACK was one of the first to signal their intentions by announcing that they would run Max Vatanen next year in the BRC1 category and to have them support the Junior BRC is fantastic.
&ldquo;The DMACK Junior BRC philosophy will be to create a launch pad for drivers to further their rallying education and careers to then graduate into the BRC1 category or onto the European or World stage. By offering a superb prize incentive, this will hopefully attract the best young drivers in the country and even the world to compete on our events next year.&rdquo;Fri, 18 Dec 2015 09:25:00 +0000Tänak Rejoins DMACK To Launch First Ever WRC Teamhttp://dmacktyres.com/t-nak-rejoins-dmack-to-launch-first-ever-wrc-team-1http://dmacktyres.com/t-nak-rejoins-dmack-to-launch-first-ever-wrc-team-1Tyre manufacturer DMACK is stepping up its presence in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) after signing speedy Estonian Ott T&auml;nak and entering the DMACK World Rally Team in the race for the 2016 championship title.
In close partnership with M-Sport, DMACK will field a Ford Fiesta RS WRC for 28-year-old T&auml;nak on all 14 rounds of the series, competing against the factory teams of Volkswagen and Hyundai in the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers for the first time.
The move also allows DMACK to challenge at the top level of the sport in direct competition with respected tyre manufacturers Michelin and Pirelli.
T&auml;nak and co-driver Raigo M&otilde;lder are no strangers to DMACK having competed for the firm&rsquo;s WRC 2 team during 2014, helping them seal the WRC 2 Teams World Championship title. In 2011, T&auml;nak made his world rally car debut with DMACK, finishing sixth overall on Wales Rally GB.
The pair are also familiar with the Fiesta when, after leading Rally Poland for most of the opening day, they scored a podium finish for the M-Sport World Rally Team in July.
Competing for a full season at the highest level of WRC sees DMACK step up its commitment to the championship and is the next phase in the company&rsquo;s aim to supply a top factory team. In September, tyre technical expert Fiorenzo Brivio joined DMACK from Pirelli as the firm signalled its intention to ramp up both development and performance of its motorsport products.
After a two-day asphalt development session in Spain last month, DMACK and T&auml;nak will take part in a cold-weather test at the start of December in preparation for the season-opening Rallye Monte Carlo in January.
DMACK will be represented across all levels of the WRC next season. The 2015 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy winner Marius Aasen will take up his prize drive in WRC 2 at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta R5 &ndash; he will be joined by Estonian Sander Parn in a two-car Drive DMACK team.
And, with the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy recently launched for 2016, aspiring drivers from across the world will be able to experience WRC action in the most affordable way possible &ndash; while also battling for the biggest prize in world rallying.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been working on this programme for around six months as part of our three-year development plan. I genuinely believe the combination of M-Sport and Ott is the best platform to help us develop our WRC products and push for leading stage-times when the opportunity arises. DMACK has a clear strategy to challenge for the WRC title in the future and the only way to achieve this is to focus hard on product development and undertake a full WRC programme with the correct partners to prove our performance. Today is yet another step towards achieving our goal of competing at the pinnacle of world rallying alongside Michelin and Pirelli, so I&rsquo;m looking forward to a great season in 2016.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m very excited to be joining DMACK again and extremely motivated to carry on the hard work and get closer to the top. We have many good memories from 2014, the team is very hard-working and I know things have moved forward even more since then. We had a tough season but the speed was there and, now that we have much more WRC experience, we will only get better in the future. This is a perfect programme for me, a chance to help DMACK progress and an opportunity for me to demonstrate both my and DMACK&rsquo;s pace. I can&rsquo;t wait to start the season in Monaco.&rdquo;Fri, 27 Nov 2015 09:02:00 +0000Champion Higgins Tops Class With DMACK In Waleshttp://dmacktyres.com/champion-higgins-tops-class-with-dmack-in-waleshttp://dmacktyres.com/champion-higgins-tops-class-with-dmack-in-walesTwenty years after Colin McRae sealed the FIA World Rally Championship title, a Subaru Impreza emblazoned with the Scot&rsquo;s iconic livery and equipped with DMACK tyres finished as the top production class car on Wales Rally GB.
David Higgins and Craig Drew romped home on their home round of the WRC as part of the anniversary celebrating McRae&rsquo;s achievement. Seven-time Rally America champion Higgins has won two titles on DMACK tyres with his Subaru USA team and topped the class using DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 gravel tyre.
Demonstrating the versatility of the company&rsquo;s product range across all levels of competition, drivers using DMACK tyres filled 10 of the top-11 places in the RC4 class for two-wheel-drive cars. Finland&rsquo;s Max Vatanen, son of 1981 world rally champion Ari Vatanen, finished second in a Ford Fiesta R2, while Tim Rodgers won the Copart Fiesta Challenge as the WRC drew to a conclusion on this final round.
Nicolas Fuchs from Peru finished sixth in WRC 2 after brushing aside a number of problems and setting some strong times.
As expected, DMACK&rsquo;s gravel tyres were perfectly suited to the challenging conditions over the weekend. The high-speed Welsh stages and horrendous weather combined to provide an ultra-tough event. Drivers reported that grip levels were changing constantly while heavy rain turned sections muddy and led to standing water in the ruts on the second pass.
The open pattern DMG+2 tyre has been designed to specifically find traction in the slippery conditions while extra sidewall protection provided puncture resistance when the conditions became more rocky on the second pass.
The final round of the season is always demanding. The classic forests of north and mid-Wales boast some fast, flowing and unforgiving gravel roads, making the event a favourite with both drivers and fans.
Based at Deeside in north Wales, the rally's ceremonial start on Thursday night was held in Llandudno before crews headed south on Friday for six stages &ndash; including two passes over Hafren, the longest of the event at 32.14km. Saturday was a mammoth test with a 5am morning start and stages running into darkness on Saturday evening.
It became even more challenging with a loop totalling 109 competitive kilometres &ndash; one of the longest of the entire season and really testing tyre durability to the limit. The event finished today as stages were battered by torrential rain and strong gales.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;The conditions on our home WRC round in GB are always tough &ndash; we expect nothing less. Once again our products have demonstrated their suitability and superior performance on cool and wet gravel roads. David Higgins was a real favourite with the fans in his McRae-inspired car while we also saw success right down the field with our clubman competitors using DMACK to tackle the demanding event in a range of two-wheel-drive machines.&rdquo;Mon, 16 Nov 2015 09:01:00 +0000DMACK Determined For Home Event WRC Successhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-determined-for-home-event-wrc-successhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-determined-for-home-event-wrc-successDMACK will tackle next week&rsquo;s conclusion to the 2015 FIA World Rally Championship with the target of repeating last year&rsquo;s overall WRC 2 victory on its home round of the world series at Wales Rally GB.
The UK&rsquo;s round of the WRC in Wales is a tough affair, however, with traditional winter weather and high-speed forest roads resulting in a challenging end to the season.
Last year DMACK celebrated its WRC 2 Teams Championship title with a home win as Finns Jari Ketomaa and Kaj Lindstrom led from start to finish on DMACK&rsquo;s 50th world rally event.
This year competitors will benefit from an upgraded version of the tyre which took Ketomaa to the top step of the podium. The DMG+2 S6A will be used next week and is set to build on its reputation as a tyre which is well-suited to the Welsh stages.
The open pattern has been designed to specifically find traction in the slippery conditions while extra sidewall protection provides puncture resistance when the conditions become more rocky on the second pass. Crews are allowed a maximum of 22 tyres over the three-day event.
In addition to equipping WRC 2 front-runners Nicolas Fuchs and local star Tom Cave, DMACK is also supplying seven-time American champion and Subaru USA star David Higgins. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Colin McRae&rsquo;s WRC title in 1995, Higgins will drive a Subaru Impreza with a replica livery.
No less than 10 Ford Fiesta R2 and ST cars will also race with DMACK&rsquo;s smaller DMG2 tyre as used on the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. Max Vatanen leads the two-wheel-drive chargers and four drivers will also take part in the Copart Fiesta Trophy using DMACK tyres.
The final round of the season is always demanding. The classic forests of north and mid-Wales boast some fast, flowing and unforgiving gravel roads, making the event a favourite with both drivers and fans. And the wicked Welsh weather can throw rain, fog and even snow into the mix to make the conditions even more challenging.
The classic event benefitted from a revival in 2013 and is again based at Deeside in north Wales. After a Thursday evening ceremonial start in Llandudno, crews head south early on Friday morning to tackle a three-stage loop, including the Hafren test &ndash; the longest of the event at 32.14km. With only a remote tyre fitting zone in Newtown, the loop is repeated without any mid-day service.
Saturday hosts over 142km across nine stages to the west including famous names like Gartheiniog and Dyfi. Sunday brings the event to a close with a loop of four stages, including the asphalt blast around Great Orme, before the finish podium celebrations back in Deeside.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Wales Rally GB always throws up a huge challenge and we can expect some extremely slippery and muddy conditions. However, our products have traditionally performed well in the cold British forests and we&rsquo;re looking forward to another successful event next week. We&rsquo;ve got a fantastic group of competitors with a diverse range of ambitions, everyone from multiple rally champions to clubman competitors ambitiously taking on their home WRC event.&rdquo;Fri, 06 Nov 2015 09:33:00 +0000Ketomaa Focuses On Championship Title With DMACKhttp://dmacktyres.com/ketomaa-focuses-on-championship-title-with-dmackhttp://dmacktyres.com/ketomaa-focuses-on-championship-title-with-dmackAfter being ruled out of his home event at Rally Finland in August with an eye injury, Drive DMACK&rsquo;s Jari Ketomaa is focusing on a solid performance at next week&rsquo;s Rally de Espa&ntilde;a as he challenges for the WRC 2 drivers&rsquo; title.
Ketomaa may be back up to full speed but he and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom, along with DMACK, will face a tough mixed-surface event &ndash; the only round of the FIA World Rally Championship to feature separate gravel and asphalt legs.
For DMACK, it&rsquo;s a complex event with four different tyre options available over the weekend. On Friday&rsquo;s gravel stages, drivers can choose between the nominated hard compound S3 version of its DMG+2 gravel tyre and the soft S6A. Then when the action switches to asphalt for Saturday and Sunday, drivers will have the option of hard and soft compound DMT-RC tyres.
Tyre management is set to be a crucial factor next week. Spain&rsquo;s gravel stages can be rocky and demand a high amount of puncture resistance from DMACK. High ambient temperatures in the hills above Salou can also test tyre durability.
But most importantly, the entire day is run without any service and only a tyre fitting zone to ensure crews have enough rubber for the tough tests &ndash; the most challenging of which is likely to be the 35.68km run through Terra Alta.
Friday evening will see the Autotek team swap Ketomaa&rsquo;s Ford Fiesta R5 from gravel to asphalt specification during a specially extended evening service. Suspension components will be changed and bigger brakes bolted on as cars and crews swap into asphalt mode for the final two days.
The Tarmac roads in the Tarragona region are more circuit-like in nature, forcing drivers to be smooth and tyres to offer precision in order to pick the racing line through sweeping corners.
This year&rsquo;s edition features a number of changes but retains the high-profile start and street stage in Barcelona on Thursday evening. The action across all three days will be played out in the mountains to the east of Salou on the Costa Daurada.
The rally is also the final round of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy where four drivers will be battling to seal the championship and lift the huge prize of a fully-funded season in WRC 2.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Spain is a tricky event and the weather can be unpredictable. Three years ago the roads were very muddy and our soft gravel tyre helped us to our first ever WRC stage win. We are currently in the middle of some significant development for our Tarmac products so the information from the event will be very useful.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m hoping for a good test before the rally to get back up to speed after quite a while away from behind the wheel. The rally is a big challenge because of the different surfaces but we will push hard. Tyre management is key to this event and we need to be clever with our choices and speed.&rdquo;Fri, 16 Oct 2015 14:29:00 +0000Strong Tyre Performance For DMACK In Australiahttp://dmacktyres.com/strong-tyre-performance-for-dmack-in-australiahttp://dmacktyres.com/strong-tyre-performance-for-dmack-in-australiaThe diverse gravel roads of Coates Hire Rally Australia, round 10 of the FIA World Rally Championship, proved to be difficult to master this weekend as DMACK tackled three days of challenging stages down under.
However, its DMG+2 gravel tyre was more than up for the test and both compounds, the nominated S3 and softer S6, performed as expected across the 311km of competitive action around Coffs Harbour on the News South Wales coast.
DMACK won its first-ever FIA World Rally Championship title here last year and the final long-haul event of the season was as tough as ever. Much of the action ran over fast, flowing shire roads, which are typically covered in loose stones – meaning traction is at a premium. With high ambient temperatures and roads becoming more abrasive on the second pass, the DMACK S3 was able to provide the high-speed precision and durability to cope with the conditions.
A smaller proportion of the rally took competitors through dense rainforest where tracks were much narrower, bumpy and had a softer clay-like surface. The tyre of choice then switched to the soft S6 compound, which was at home on the more humid and soft roads.
Top DMACK crew was the local pairing of Scott Pedder and Dale Moscatt at the wheel of their M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta R5. The highest seeded Australian team had hoped to use their local knowledge to chase a podium in WRC 2.
However, they slid off the road on the opening day, damaging their suspension and dropping time. Rejoining on Saturday, they set a series of strong times and managed to come home in sixth despite another technical issue today.
Rally Australia featured a tough but compact itinerary. Friday’s high-speed shire road action took in a loop of four tests repeated in the afternoon. Saturday only offered four stages but included two passes over the huge 50.80km Nambucca test around the town of Bowraville, the biggest challenge of the event.
The weekend concluded with five stages held to the north of Coffs Harbour today where the action finished with the 9.23km Wedding Bells stage.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “Rally Australia always delivers a tough test and tyre choice is normally a mix of both compounds. We gained good information from the event last year and, as expected, both our tyre options delivered a strong performance across the varied conditions. With the recent appointment of our new technical director, we’ve got a solid base upon which to move even further forward.”
Scott Pedder said: “We came here with the focus on a podium so the result is a little disappointing. But when things were going well we did show a much improved pace and were on a level of speed in line with the WRC 2 challengers. The tyres worked really well and we’ve definitely shown the best speed and most promise of the season – there’s lots of positives I can take from the weekend.”Mon, 14 Sep 2015 08:11:00 +0000DMACK Backs Pedder For Home Rally Runhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-backs-pedder-for-home-rally-runhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-backs-pedder-for-home-rally-runDMACK heads down under next week for Coates Hire Rally Australia &ndash; the event where the Drive DMACK team sealed its first-ever FIA World Rally Championship title last year. The squad was crowned WRC 2 Teams Champions in 2014 and is aiming for continued success this time around with the top local driver joining its ranks.
Scott Pedder and Dale Moscatt, the top seeded Australian crew, are aiming for a strong performance on their home round of the world series and have targeted a podium finished in WRC 2.
The pair have clocked up some serious air miles this season as part of their WRC 2 campaign and are hoping for home advantage on the demanding gravel stages around Coffs Harbour on the New South Wales coast. They will drive an M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta R5 in their bid to chase a season-best finish.
As the third and final long-haul event of the season, the rally is both tough and complex. Operationally DMACK has shipped its bespoke fitting container, which is kitted out with the machines and equipment needed to supply gravel tyres for competitors. The latest DMG+2 tyres have flown direct from its factory ready for the challenge of next week.
The race is held over roads covered in loose stones and renowned for being ultra-slippery and dusty in the dry. But, if wet, the conditions change dramatically with muddy and treacherously slimy surfaces creating extreme conditions.
The varied character of the event&rsquo;s stages also pose a complex challenge &ndash; one minute cars can be threading their way along tight and twisty tracks deep in the rainforest, the next they can be flat-out over fast and flowing roads in open countryside.
DMACK has nominated the hard compound S3 as first choice for the rally, with the softer S6 available should conditions turn wet or cold.
Rally Australia is once again based at Coffs Harbour, halfway between Sydney and Brisbane, and features a compact itinerary. Friday&rsquo;s high-speed shire road stages are based to the south with a loop of four tests repeated.
Only four stages await teams on Saturday but the huge 50.80km Nambucca test around the town of Bowraville will be the biggest challenge of the weekend. Sunday finishes with five stages to the north of Coffs Harbour including the Wedding Bells power stage.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Rally Australia holds fond memories as the event where we celebrated our first world title. We return again next week with the top local driver and I&rsquo;m sure Scott will put up a performance to please the home fans. Australia is a difficult event, with the weather at this time of year a little unknown, but I&rsquo;m confident our tyres can cope well with all conditions.&rdquo;
Scott Pedder said: &ldquo;The motivation for your home rally is always higher than others and Coates Hire Rally Australia is a world class event with some fantastic roads, we have a lot of home town support. We can certainly be in with a chance for a podium in WRC 2 here and if we can get into a good rhythm and pace from the start, perhaps we can be challenging for the win. Our plan is to just drive our own race and hope that it is good enough against a strong field of regional rally cars.&rdquo;Fri, 04 Sep 2015 11:21:00 +0000Brivio’s DMACK Move To Attract Top WRC Teamshttp://dmacktyres.com/brivio--s-dmack-move-to-attract-top-wrc-teamshttp://dmacktyres.com/brivio--s-dmack-move-to-attract-top-wrc-teamsDMACK is set to benefit from the technical expertise of one of the world&rsquo;s leading motorsport tyre engineers as Fiorenzo Brivio joins the UK company after a long spell at Pirelli.
The Italian tyre expert made the switch to DMACK after 30 years in Pirelli&rsquo;s motorsport department where he covered a variety of key technical, industrial and sporting positions across rally and circuit racing.
He joins DMACK, an authorised tyre supplier to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), in the new position of motorsport technical director and will lead the development of the firm&rsquo;s motorsport products and strengthen the performance of its gravel and asphalt rally tyres.
With WRC tyre regulations moving forward, Brivio will ensure DMACK products for world and regional rallying are evolved to provide the best possible performance. The ultimate aim for DMACK, which won the 2014 WRC 2 Teams title, is to partner with a top WRC squad and compete for the main WRC title.
Brivio was responsible for inventing and developing some of the first successful tread patterns for gravel and snow rallies &ndash; an approach that was then adopted by all major manufacturers.
His sealed-surface experience will also allow DMACK to develop new products for circuit racing and track use &ndash; opening up additional non-rally markets and race series opportunities.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;DMACK has achieved an enormous amount in the last five years but now it&rsquo;s time for us to raise the bar another level. Fiorenzo&rsquo;s appointment will ensure we have the technical expertise within DMACK and I believe his knowledge of motorsport compounds and constructions is both unrivalled and invaluable. Our goal is to partner with a top WRC manufacturer and we&rsquo;re now one step closer to achieving that.&rdquo;
Fiorenzo Brivio, DMACK motorsport technical director, said: &ldquo;I was searching for a new challenge after more than 30 years in the motorsport industry and DMACK provided me with the perfect opportunity. The company has made great steps over the last few years and I&rsquo;m hoping my passion, experience and technical knowledge will allow us to develop new tyres and attract top level teams within the WRC.&rdquo;Tue, 01 Sep 2015 08:40:00 +0000New Tyre, Team And Driver For DMACK In Finlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/new-tyre-team-and-driver-for-dmack-in-finlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/new-tyre-team-and-driver-for-dmack-in-finlandThe Drive DMACK World Rally Team will tackle one of the most hotly anticipated rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship next week with a new line-up. Lead driver Jari Ketomaa will sit out his home round at Neste Oil Rally Finland on medical advice while fellow Finn Jarkko Nikara steps in to take his place.
With rules allowing the team to change one element of the entry, Nikara will be co-driven by Kaj Lindstrom in the Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5. They will be joined by Norwegian Eyvind Brynildsen and Swedish co-driver Anders Fredrikkson in a Fiesta RRC, with the team aiming to replicate the result from Rally Sweden where it sealed a dominant 1-2 finish.
After damaging his eye during a dramatic final-day crash in Portugal, current WRC 2 leader Ketomaa was advised to rest and allow his eye to heal naturally. So up stepped 29-year-old Nikara, who will contest Rally Finland for the ninth time &ndash; but his first drive in an R5 specification car.
Last year&rsquo;s Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy winners Sander P&auml;rn and James Morgan will run under a new second team, Drive DMACK 2, in their M-Sport Ford Fiesta R5. Despite crashing on the qualifying stage of last weekend&rsquo;s Rally Estonia, P&auml;rn&rsquo;s confidence is high and knows he has decent pace in Finland &ndash; he finished 16th overall at the wheel of a Fiesta R2 last year.
All DMACK drivers will use an all-new soft compound evolution of the DMG+2 tyre. The new S6A features design tweaks to help improve performance, precision and lateral grip. A maximum of 22 tyres can be used over the weekend and 16 medium compound S3 are available as the alternative option.
That extra precision will come in handy next week on the demanding, high-speed roads. Dubbed the Finnish Grand Prix, the action is fought out over extreme gravel stages featuring huge jumps and blind crests. Pacenotes must be accurate to describe the exact lines over flat-out jumps and even the smallest mistake is punished hard.
The high-speeds, commitment corners and rollercoaster crests make it a legendary event, one of the highlights of the season and a real favourite with both fans and drivers.
The stage surfaces are a bit of a mix and can really add to the challenge. Many of the tests run over wide, smooth roads with a hard base &ndash; boosting grip levels and driving up average speeds. But more technical stages, with soft surfaces that can rut badly on the second pass, may expose sharp rocks and cause punctures.
Next week&rsquo;s event is also the mid-way point of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy where local star Max Vatanen will be hoping to regain the series lead from Norwegian Marius Aasen.
Rally Finland is again based in Jyv&auml;skyl&auml; and bursts into action with the exciting Harju street stage through the town centre on Thursday night. Friday is the longest day of the rally with most of the competition based around J&auml;ms&auml;. It includes two runs over the iconic Ouninpohja stage, the longest of the event at 34.39km, and there&rsquo;s no mid-day service, just a remote tyre change zone.
Saturday offers a number of classic stages to the west of Jyv&auml;skyl&auml; before the final two tests on Sunday bring the action to a close. The event covers 319.38km of action across 20 stages.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;Our tyres have always performed well in Finland but we've played our joker to introduce an evolution of the successful S6, which should offer enhanced performance. We are all disappointed that Jari has been unable to take part and we wish him a speedy recovery. I'm confident Jarkko will be an excellent replacement.&rdquo;
Jarkko Nikara said: &ldquo;I think we have a good chance to get a podium as my experience of this event is good &ndash; this will be my ninth Rally Finland. I&rsquo;m disappointed for Jari and very grateful for this opportunity, so I intend to make the most of this chance. I&rsquo;ve never driven an R5 car before so our test on Monday will be pretty important.&rdquo;
Eyvind Brynildsen said: &ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t competed in WRC since Rally Sweden but I feel much more prepared than last year as we&rsquo;ve been driving successfully in the Norwegian championship. We have a decent chance in Finland. The pace was good last year and we are in a better position now &ndash; the car will also be strong on the second pass and that&rsquo;s a good advantage.&rdquo;
Sander P&auml;rn said: &ldquo;Despite our accident in Estonia last week, I&rsquo;m still feeling confident ahead of Finland. We tested straight after the crash and that was important to get the confidence back again. I really want to go and enjoy the rally. The roads are similar to back home and we went well in Finland last year, winning the DMACK Trophy. If the confidence is good then we can aim to keep the speed from Poland.&rdquo;Fri, 24 Jul 2015 10:56:00 +0000Ketomaa capitulates ahead of Rally Finlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/ketomaa-capitulates-ahead-of-rally-finlandhttp://dmacktyres.com/ketomaa-capitulates-ahead-of-rally-finlandDrive DMACK&rsquo;s WRC 2 leader Jari Ketomaa will not compete on his home round of the FIA World Rally Championship in Finland next week. Acting on medical advice, Ketomaa will sit out the next event and will be replaced by fellow Finn Jarkko Nikara in the Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5.
Ketomaa had been troubled by a vision problem that started during Rally Poland. An eye specialist advised that his eye needed time to heal naturally and indicated the damage was most-likely a legacy of his final-day accident on Rally Portugal.
After gaining approval from rally organisers, 29-year-old Nikara will replace Ketomaa for the event and will be co-driven by Kaj Lindstrom.
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m obviously disappointed to miss my home event, especially knowing we have the pace to win and strengthen our championship lead. But I need to think about the rest of the season and follow the specialist advice to allow the damage to heal. I&rsquo;m confident Jarkko will do a good job for the team.&rdquo;Mon, 20 Jul 2015 09:24:00 +0000DMACK Continue On Top After Strong Show In Polandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-continue-on-top-after-strong-show-in-polandhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-continue-on-top-after-strong-show-in-polandThe Drive DMACK World Rally Team came away from Rally Poland with a pair of solid performances after Jari Ketomaa and Sander P&auml;rn finished fourth and ninth respectively in WRC 2. The result keeps the Drive DMACK team at the top of the championship table and on track to retain its team world title.
Both crews used DMACK&rsquo;s soft compound gravel tyres throughout the entire weekend as they mastered the demanding high-speed gravel stages making up round seven of the FIA World Rally Championship.
The team built on the experience of 2014 when it scored its first-ever WRC 2 one-two victory after Ott T&auml;nak and Jari Ketomaa dominated the class. Ketomaa and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom showed a solid pace again this weekend but were hampered by a number of niggling technical issues in their Ford Fiesta R5.
After dropping time on the opening stages on Friday, which took place close to the Russian border in the north of Poland, they put in a strong drive during Saturday to move up from sixth to fourth.
Estonian P&auml;rn and British co-driver James Morgan were intent on improving their pace this weekend after a slow start in Portugal last month. They too were slowed with some technical issues on the opening day but upped their game yesterday and today to set a string of competitive times.
They rounded off a much-improved weekend with third fastest time on the final high-speed blast through the 14.6km Baranowo stage today.
The conditions in Poland suited DMACK&rsquo;s popular DMG+2 gravel tyre, which dealt with the high speeds and soft, rutted surfaces remarkably well. It&rsquo;s open tread pattern helped clear loose gravel from the track, giving drivers the traction required to push confidently.
The action was once again based in Mikołajki &ndash; a small town set in the middle of the picturesque Masurian Lake District in the north-east of the country.
Rally Poland was also round two of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy and the Norwegian crew of Marius Aasen and Veronica Engan took their first ever victory in the series.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Despite a few technical issues with both cars, we managed to set a string of solid times. Once again our tyres worked exceptionally well in these conditions and delivered the performance required on what was an extremely high-speed and challenging event.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;The stages suited our tyres very well and, when we didn&rsquo;t have any problems, the feeling was good and I was really enjoying the stages. We lost time on the first day but managed to climb back up to fourth today. I was driving hard but not taking any risks and the atmosphere here with the high-speeds and energy from the fans was really crazy.&rdquo;
Sander P&auml;rn said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m very happy as we made some good improvements this weekend. We had a few problems on the first day but after that the confidence was good and the speed was there. This was important for me as we needed to improve from Portugal and we knew these stages suited us more.&rdquo;Sun, 05 Jul 2015 14:24:00 +0000DMACK Sets Sights On Another Pole Positionhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-sets-sights-on-another-pole-positionhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-sets-sights-on-another-pole-positionThe Drive DMACK World Rally Team returns to Poland next week &ndash; home of its first-ever one-two victory when Ott T&auml;nak and Jari Ketomaa romped home at the top of the WRC 2 class in 2014. Next week&rsquo;s edition, round seven of the FIA World Rally Championship, will see Ketomaa return alongside Sander P&auml;rn at the wheel of the team&rsquo;s two Ford Fiesta R5 rally cars.
Topping the championship standings, the Drive DMACK team is on track to successfully defend its WRC 2 Teams world title and both drivers will be hoping to capitalise on the ultra-fast, smooth gravel roads in Poland &ndash; which should play to their skills and experience.
The conditions in Poland should also suit DMACK&rsquo;s rubber. The soft, sandy surfaces mean tyre wear is not expected to be an issue but the roads are likely to rut significantly and expose rocks for the second pass. The high-speed stages through the Polish countryside will demand high levels of performance and precision, allowing drivers to confidently cruise through the corners.
To cope with the soft surfaces, DMACK has nominated its DMG+2 soft compound S6 tyre, which topped the time-sheets on all but two special stages last year. Competitors can use a maximum of 22 tyres and also have the option to use a limited number of the alternative S3 hard compound should the conditions change.
Ketomaa and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom will be looking to bounce back from their final-day retirement in Portugal. The Finns excelled on the high-speed stages around the Polish lake district last year and will be hoping to capitalise on their experience.
Estonian P&auml;rn, with British co-driver James Morgan, blitzed the opposition last year, storming to overall victory in the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. Stepping up to WRC 2 this season as part of their huge prize drive, the pair feel well prepared after a pre-event test in Estonia earlier this week. P&auml;rn is hoping to feel a little more at home in Poland with the roads bearing a strong similarity to his native stages.
The action is once again based in Mikołajki &ndash; a small town set in the middle of the picturesque Masurian Lake District in the north-east of the country. However, the majority of the event is new and that means a level playing field and pretty intense battles over the weekend &ndash; all watched by huge numbers of fans who flock from neighbouring countries.
After a short blast through the super special stage on Thursday night, it&rsquo;s straight into the longest day of action to the north-east of Mikołajki on Friday &ndash; made even tougher with no mid-day service. Crews do, however, get the chance to replace their rubber at a remote tyre fitting zone in Goldap.
Saturday&rsquo;s action is placed out to the east of rally HQ before two stages on Sunday complete the final tests.
Rally Poland is also round two of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy, which is led by Finnish star Max Vatanen.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Looking back on last year&rsquo;s performances, we expect our soft tyre to be well suited to the conditions in Poland but the stages could be pretty demanding on the second pass. The WRC 2 championship is becoming increasingly competitive with the addition of the works Skoda team and next week&rsquo;s event is set to be a proper high-speed race.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;We know the surface in Poland suits our car and tyres well so I&rsquo;m pretty confident ahead of next week. The roads are great, nice and flowing and we&rsquo;ve got quite a few new stages this year so it will be a big challenge. It&rsquo;s an enjoyable rally with a really nice atmosphere and lots of fans in the stages.&rdquo;
Sander P&auml;rn said: &ldquo;I should be more familiar with the roads in Poland &ndash; from competing last year and also they are similar to back home in Estonia. We&rsquo;ve been testing this week so I&rsquo;m more confident now going into the rally. Our aim is to step it up a gear to try and improve the times and I think this type of rally will help me do that.&rdquo;Mon, 29 Jun 2015 08:31:00 +0000Super Sardinia Saturday Provides Challenge For DMACKhttp://dmacktyres.com/super-sardinia-saturday-provides-challenge-for-dmackhttp://dmacktyres.com/super-sardinia-saturday-provides-challenge-for-dmackNext week&rsquo;s Rally Italia Sardegna, round six of the FIA World Rally Championship, is set to be another demanding test for DMACK with the challenging road conditions and high temperatures promising to punish both tyres and cars. And the biggest challenge will come from Saturday&rsquo;s huge route, which sees competitors tackle over 200km of stages &ndash; the longest day in WRC since 2012.
While the event boasts a number of significant changes this year, the sundrenched gravel roads across the Mediterranean island of Sardinia remain and, together with long stage distances, will provide a stern test of DMACK&rsquo;s durability.
Known for its harsh surfaces, boasting some of the championship&rsquo;s most abrasive roads, the rally is both fast and furious. The stages are traditionally narrow and lined with bushes, trees and rocks &ndash; but also pretty high speed.
In addition to precise handling, DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 gravel tyre must also provide excellent durability and puncture resistance to cope with the rough second pass during the hot Sardinian summer.
DMACK has nominated its hard compound S3 tyre which handled the situation well last year &ndash; drivers have a maximum allocation of 30 tyres across the four-day, 24-stage event.
Based in the resort of Alghero on the north-west coast, competitors will head to Cagliari on the southern coast for Thursday night&rsquo;s ceremonial start and the popular opening street stage through the town. Friday takes in nine stages on the way north to Alghero but it&rsquo;s Saturday which is likely to be the toughest day, requiring a degree of clever tyre management.
Drivers will tackle two identical loops to the east of Alghero, each with four demanding speed tests totaling 101km. Two of those tests are 37.5km long and include the Monte Lerno stage, famous for Mickey&rsquo;s Jump which launches cars high into the air. Saturday also includes two remote tyre fitting zones where DMACK will transport tyres for crews to choose and fit themselves in a controlled zone.
Sunday finishes with four stages north of Alghero. Overall there are 24 timed sections covering 400 competitive kilometres &ndash; with less than a third carried over from 2014.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;Sardinia offers a really unique mix of abrasive roads and soft stages &ndash; both creating different challenges for our tyres. Some of the distances, especially on Saturday, will force drivers to think about how they manage their tyre allocation. It&rsquo;s a difficult rally and I believe and even greater challenge this year.&rdquo;Fri, 05 Jun 2015 09:32:00 +0000DMACK Rocks And Rolls At Tough Rally Portugalhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-rocks-and-rolls-at-tough-rally-portugalhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-rocks-and-rolls-at-tough-rally-portugalDMACK&rsquo;s robust gravel tyres were able to master the seriously tough conditions thrown up by Rally de Portugal this weekend but it was a challenging start to Sander P&auml;rn and James Morgan&rsquo;s prize drive season. Last year&rsquo;s Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy winners had a difficult run behind the wheel of their Ford Fiesta R5 on round five of the FIA World Rally Championship.
The event&rsquo;s move north to Porto presented drivers with a completely new route, which turned out to be hugely demanding on Friday. Damaged roads rutted quickly, creating harsh, hazardous conditions with rocks littering the gravel tracks.
The DMG+2 tyre proved its strength and provided drivers with the confidence to tackle the taxing roads. Tyre management also played an important part with drivers having to cleverly select between hard and soft compounds to deal effectively with the mix of conditions.
The focus for Estonian P&auml;rn was always to complete the event and gain the maximum experience possible and, while there were a couple of mechanical issues which hindered his progress, he did complete the full mileage. The performance was a solid foundation for him to build on and improve on the next event.
However, for team-mates Jari Ketomaa and Kaj Lindstrom, it was a weekend to forget. Their sister Fiesta took a battering and was plagued with a number of time-consuming issues. But they ended up rolling spectacularly into retirement on the first stage this morning after edging off line on one of the Fafe&rsquo;s tests iconic jumps.
DMACK also launched the 2015 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy in Portugal and Max Vatanen, son of former world rally champion Ari, took the spoils after an impressive and measured drive.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think anyone expected the conditions to be as rough as we experienced and I&rsquo;m proud to say our gravel tyres held up extremely well during the rocky stages on Friday. We didn&rsquo;t get the result we were after in WRC 2 but Sander had a solid run on his first prize event.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;We had a nightmare event and didn&rsquo;t have many clean stages. The pace was there when everything was fine but it was a very difficult weekend. We hadn&rsquo;t been pushing on Fafe but just got offline and it all went wrong.&rdquo;
Sander P&auml;rn said: &ldquo;It was a very difficult rally for me but we have to take the positives from this weekend. It was my first event with the R5 car on gravel and, while we had a few problems, I think we coped with things well to complete all the stages and get to the finish. From here it can only get better so I&rsquo;m looking forward to the next round.&rdquo;Mon, 25 May 2015 09:56:00 +0000World Rally Icon Ari Vatanen Appointed DMACK Brand Ambassadorhttp://dmacktyres.com/world-rally-icon-ari-vatanen-appointed-dmack-brand-ambassadorhttp://dmacktyres.com/world-rally-icon-ari-vatanen-appointed-dmack-brand-ambassadorDMACK is proud to announce that former world rally champion Ari Vatanen is to become its first brand ambassador.
Finnish rally hero Vatanen won the FIA World Rally Championship drivers&rsquo; title in 1981 and is a four-time Paris Dakar Rally winner. Having driven for a raft of manufacturers during the heyday of Group B rallying, the Vatanen name is synonymous with exhilarating motorsport action.
Vatanen was a Member of the European Parliament for 10 years and is currently President of the Estonian Aurosport Union. However, the family name lives on in motorsport with his 24-year-old son Max currently competing in the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy.
It was at the launch of the new 2015 season of the one-make series for young rally talent, at Rally de Portugal today, where Vatanen&rsquo;s role with DMACK was announced.
DMACK has a short but proud motorsport heritage and recently entered the consumer market with an exciting range of performance road tyres.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m both proud and excited to welcome a true motorsport icon to the DMACK family. Our brand has grown enormously over the last few years and this is a significant step to consolidate our presence even further with the support and knowledge that Ari can provide.&rdquo;
Ari Vatanen, former world rally champion and DMACK brand ambassador, said: &ldquo;I truly am excited to be working with DMACK. I&rsquo;ve followed the company&rsquo;s progress very carefully and am impressed with the strategy and future plans. There is a genuine enthusiasm across the business and the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy, which my son Max is benefitting from, is a real boost to aspiring rally stars.&rdquo;Thu, 21 May 2015 12:23:00 +0000Pärn Picks Portugal For DMACK Prize Seasonhttp://dmacktyres.com/p-rn-picks-portugal-for-dmack-prize-seasonhttp://dmacktyres.com/p-rn-picks-portugal-for-dmack-prize-seasonDrive DMACK Fiesta Trophy winners Sander P&auml;rn and James Morgan will sample the biggest prize in world rallying next week as they take to the wheel of their M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta R5. The pair will contest Rally de Portugal, round five of the FIA World Rally Championship, as the opening round of their prize-season WRC 2 campaign.
Estonian P&auml;rn and Brit Morgan dominated the popular Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy during its inaugural season in 2014 and will join Drive DMACK stalwarts Jari Ketomaa and Kaj Lindstrom in Porto next week.
With a huge WRC 2 entry of 30 eager competitors all lining up to contest the first of the traditional series of summer European rounds, both P&auml;rn and Ketomaa will face a huge challenge. However, with the event moving back north after 14 years, the stages will be new to everyone.
The roads around the Porto and Fafe regions in northern Portugal, iconic WRC locations steeped in motorsport heritage, are generally softer and less abrasive than the previous location in the southern Algarve. And those conditions should suit DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 gravel tyres.
DMACK has nominated its soft compound S6 as the main option for next week. Competitors can use a total of 22 tyres over the weekend from an allocation of 22 soft S6 and 16 hard S3 tyres.
The move north to a new base at Matosinhos near Porto will see competitors tackle a mix of fast, sandy tracks alongside some technical roads over a mountain area. The region has a crazy base of motorsport fans and organisers are expecting the stages to be swamped with spectators eager to catch the action.
After a start in Guimares on Thursday night and a 3.36km super-special stage at Lousada, the rally moves north for a three-stage loop near the Spanish border. Saturday includes two passes over the 37.67km Fridao test before Sunday sees the return of the iconic Fafe stage, which is steeped in WRC history.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Next week&rsquo;s event is going to be hugely competitive within WRC 2, with one of the biggest fields we&rsquo;ve seen for quite a while. The new stage conditions should hopefully work in our favour but, with a full field of top drivers, it&rsquo;s going to be a pretty difficult and competitive rally.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;I loved competing at Fafe sprint last year, the atmosphere was incredible, and I&rsquo;m really looking forward to tackling these stages next week. Mexico and Argentina were rough, rocky rallies where we had to take care of the car, hopefully next week we can concentrate on having a proper race.&rdquo;
Sander P&auml;rn said: &ldquo;This is a huge opportunity and I plan to step up my game to make best use of this great prize with DMACK and M-Sport. This is a completely new situation for me, it&rsquo;s my first time on gravel with an R5 car so it really will be a big learning experience. The competition looks pretty intense and my aim definitely is to complete all the stages and finish the rally. We are testing today and also on Monday to be ready for the rally.&rdquo;Fri, 15 May 2015 13:42:00 +0000Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy Blasts Off In Portugalhttp://dmacktyres.com/drive-dmack-fiesta-trophy-blasts-off-in-portugalhttp://dmacktyres.com/drive-dmack-fiesta-trophy-blasts-off-in-portugalEleven drivers will line up for the start of a turbo-charged 2015 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy at the Vodafone Rally de Portugal next weekend. Six of the drivers who competed in last year&rsquo;s hugely successful inaugural series have returned with the remaining five bringing a fresh feel to a high octane 2015 campaign. They will battle it out over six points-scoring rounds at five events of the FIA World Rally Championship.
Competitors have their sights trained on landing the biggest prize in world rallying &ndash; a lucrative full seven-round season of WRC 2 competition in 2016 using a Drive DMACK Ford Fiesta R5.
The challenge is headed by the UK&rsquo;s Tom Cave and Craig Parry, runners-up in last year&rsquo;s series, who will be gunning to go one better in their quest for WRC glory. Also returning is 2014 front-runner Norwegian Marius Aasen and rookie champion Max Vatanen from Finland &ndash; both of whom will have new co-drivers alongside them this time around.
Ghislain de Mevius, Nicolas Amiouni and Nil Solans from Spain, winner of the final round in 2014, make up the six crews who have experience from last season. De Mevius and Vatanen have a little knowledge of next week&rsquo;s rally region having competed on the Rallye Serras de Fafe in March.
New for 2015 is American Will Hudson &ndash; competing on his first WRC event and guided by experienced co-driver Alex Gelsomino &ndash; along with Edoardo Bresolin from Italy and British Junior Rally Champion Gus Greensmith. At 18, Greensmith is the youngest driver in the series and will miss the first recce day as he&rsquo;s sitting an A-level exam in the UK. Dutch stars Kevin van Deijne and Mats van den Brand complete the line-up. Van den Brand takes his place as part of his prize for winning the Trophy shoot-out at the end of last season.
The Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy is a joint initiative between WRC tyre manufacturer DMACK and rally preparation experts M-Sport. It aims to help provide a cost-effective platform for up and coming drivers to experience the FIA World Rally Championship. Competitors attended a two-day workshop at M-Sport this week and underwent sporting, technical and media training to strengthen their preparation for the start of the new season.
In a real show of sporting equality, they will battle it out using identical Ford Fiesta R2 rally cars newly-developed by M-Sport. They&rsquo;re powered by Ford&rsquo;s 1.0 litre turbocharged EcoBoost engine, powered by sustainable GEM fuel and equipped with the latest generation Morris lubricants. The new car boasts a raft of modifications including revised transmission, new braking system, electronics and revised suspension to give the new Fiesta R2 even more adjustability.
The identical cars will again be equipped with DMACK&rsquo;s well-proven range of successful gravel tyres &ndash; with crews permitted to use a maximum of 18 tyres from an allocation of 14 medium compound G42 and six soft G62 tyres.
This year&rsquo;s Rally de Portugal moves back north for the first time in 14 years to a new base at Matosinhos near Porto. After a start in Guimares on Thursday night and a 3.36km super-special stage at Lousada, the rally moves north for a three-stage loop near the Spanish border.
Saturday is the longest day and includes two passes over the 37.67km Fridao test before Sunday sees the return of the iconic Fafe stage, steeped in WRC history, which is set to be swamped with tens of thousands of rally fans.
Winners of last year&rsquo;s inaugural Trophy, Estonian Sander P&auml;rn and Brit James Morgan, will kick off their prize programme in Portugal at the wheel of an M-Sport-run Ford Fiesta R5. Alongside Jari Ketomaa, they will form a strong pairing in DMACK&rsquo;s defence of its WRC 2 Teams world championship title.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;After such a successful inaugural season we&rsquo;re really looking forward to our second year partnering M-Sport with the Trophy. Not only does it provide a platform for some intense competition but it allows DMACK to invest in the future talent of the sport and provide an affordable step into WRC.&rdquo;
Malcolm Wilson, M-Sport managing director, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;re looking forward to another exciting Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy and it&rsquo;s great to see some new faces along with some more familiar ones. The new car provides added excitement as the first of its kind to be homologated under the new regulations and I&rsquo;m sure this year&rsquo;s competitors will be able to showcase the upgrades to full effect. At M-Sport we&rsquo;ve always been at the forefront when it comes to introducing new talent and new technologies; and this year&rsquo;s trophy truly showcases this to the fullest.&rdquo;
Driver Quotes
Marius Aasen (23) from Norway said: &ldquo;I am really looking forward to it. I was testing the car on Tuesday and it feels really good, I am getting more and more comfortable with it. In Portugal everything will be different because the car is new and the race is located in the north of the country. I will just try to think about my own pace and my own driving.&rdquo;
Nicolas Amiouni (26) from Lebanon said: &ldquo;I haven&rsquo;t competed since Spain last year so I&rsquo;m really keen to get back in the car. Last year was a learning year for me and we picked up so much experience that hopefully we can make use of that advantage this year. I&rsquo;m happy that it&rsquo;s a new rally for everyone and I&rsquo;m looking forward to driving the new car.&rdquo;
Mats van den Brand (24) from Netherlands said: &ldquo;It is a new car and for me it is a new step in my career. It will be my first time rallying on gravel. Winning the shootout was a big boost for me and I&rsquo;m thankful to the KNAF Talent First programme that has supported me this year. I hope to do well and drive myself into the picture.&rdquo;
Edoardo Bresolin (24) from Italy said: &ldquo;I am happy to take part in the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. For me it is the first time with a two-wheel drive car, and I hope to do my best to get the best result. It is good experience and a good opportunity for the race, for the pacenotes and to work with a professional team. I hope to win but the other drivers are all very fast.&rdquo;
Tom Cave (23) from UK said: &ldquo;We showed good pace on all the events last year so I&rsquo;m confident that we can carry that forward this season. The new car feels really good and I&rsquo;m happy with the new stages in the north &ndash; it means we need strong pacenotes and I&rsquo;ve got every confidence in my system. The event is set to be extremely popular with the Portuguese fans famous for their energy and enthusiasm.&rdquo;
Kevin Van Deijne (25) from Netherlands said: &ldquo;I am very excited about the series. The car has changed a lot for this year in a positive way. This year I can compete on the same level because all the cars are the same. This is the most important step for a young driver as you are competing at a higher level but in the same car. Because of the high standard of drivers you will improve very fast.&rdquo;
Gus Greensmith (18) from UK said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;ve got an exam on Tuesday so will miss the first day of the recce. So, for me, the focus is on getting to the end of the rally and completing the event &ndash; then we can push more in Poland. The new car has improved suspension which gave me more confidence so I&rsquo;m just counting down the hours until next week.&rdquo;
Will Hudson (29) from USA said: &ldquo;I am expecting to learn a lot and am sure the pressure will be high, so I need to manage my desire to over-drive and try to finish every stage. I want to get as much experience as possible. For me in America I have only ever had one or two other competitors so to pit myself against other good young drivers will be exciting.&rdquo;
Ghislain de Mevius (26) from Belgium said: &ldquo;I did a rally in the Fafe area earlier this year and I really liked the roads. I&rsquo;m back again in this championship as I believe, for young drivers, it&rsquo;s the most cost-effective with such a big prize. My aim is to improve on last year where I finished off the season with a good performance.&rdquo;
Nil Solans (23) from Spain said: &ldquo;We are here to keep pushing again and I&rsquo;m really happy to be back with Drive DMACK again. We won the last round in Spain and I hope to be able to continue that speed. I&rsquo;ve done a few rallies this year in Spain already and now we try to use the experience to good effect this season.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen (24) from Finland said: &ldquo;It is the best championship for a young driver like me who is aiming for the top. It is really strong competition and you need to be a quick driver but you need to think wisely also. We did the Fafe rally and the feeling was really good so now I&rsquo;m just looking forward to getting behind the steering wheel and going for it.&rdquo;
Rally de Portugal Entries
101 Tom Cave (UK) / Craig Parry (UK) 102 Marius Aasen (Norway) / Veronica Engan (Norway) 103 Max Vatanen (Finland) / Jacques Julien Renucci (France) 104 Nil Solans (Spain) / Miquel Ibanez (Spain) 106 Ghislain de Mevius (Belgium) / Johan Jalet (Belgium) 107 Mats van den Brand (Netherlands) / Martijn Wydaeghe (Netherlands) 108 Edoardo Bresolin (Italy) / Rudy Pollet (Italy) 109 Nicolas Amiouni (Lebanon) / Joseph Matar (Lebanon) 111 Kevin van Deijne (Netherlands) / Harman Scholtalbers (Netherlands) 112 Will Hudson (USA) / Alex Gelsomino (Italy) 114 Gus Greensmith (UK) / Elliott Edmondson (UK)
Brief biography information on each competitor and further details on the Trophy can be found here.Fri, 15 May 2015 10:12:00 +0000Cave Heads Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy Entrieshttp://dmacktyres.com/cave-heads-drive-dmack-fiesta-trophy-entrieshttp://dmacktyres.com/cave-heads-drive-dmack-fiesta-trophy-entriesEleven drivers representing nine countries will line up for the opening round of the 2015 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy at Rally de Portugal next month – all with the aim of battling to win the biggest prize in rallying. The Trophy is run across six point-scoring rounds on five events of the FIA World Rally Championship, with the winner securing a full WRC 2 season in 2016.
The list is headed by the UK’s Tom Cave and Craig Parry, runners-up in last year’s series, who are joined by another five crews returning from 2014. They include front-runner Marius Aasen, rookie champion Max Vatanen, Ghislain de Mevius, Nicolas Amiouni and, winner of the final round, Nil Solans from Spain.
American Will Hudson, guided by experienced co-driver Alex Gelsomino, Edoardo Bresolin from Italy and British Junior Rally Champion Gus Greensmith will join the returning drivers, while Dutch stars Kevin van Deijne and Mats van den Brand complete the line-up.
Van den Brand takes his place as part of his prize for winning the Trophy shoot-out at the end of last season. Originally planned to be a one-off drive in a Ford Fiesta R5, series organisers M-Sport and DMACK, working with the Dutch federation KNAF, agreed that it would be much more beneficial for the 24-year-old to contest the full Trophy and gain experience from five WRC events.
The cost-effective series, pitched as the stepping-stone into WRC for young and career-focused rally drivers, is set to provide the platform for another series of intense battles and close competition. Racing with M-Sport’s newly-developed Ford Fiesta R2, powered by a 1.0 litre, turbocharged EcoBoost engine, competitors will battle it out on both gravel and asphalt rounds using control DMACK tyres.
After the gravel stages of Portugal from 21-24 May, the Trophy heads to Poland and Finland before the only all-asphalt round at Rallye Deutschland in August. The final event in Spain will offer two sets of championship points ensuring the battle for the title goes right down to wire. With the opportunity to drop a score from one round – the format allows other drivers to join from round two in Poland.
Winners of last year’s inaugural Trophy, Estonian Sander Pärn and Brit James Morgan, will kick off their prize programme in Portugal at the wheel of an M-Sport-run Fiesta R5. Alongside Jari Ketomaa, they will form a strong pairing in DMACK’s defence of its WRC 2 Teams world championship title.
NameAgeCountry
Marius Aasen
23
Norway
Nicolas Amiouni
26
Lebanon
Mats van den Brand
24
Netherlands
Edoardo Bresolin
24
Italy
Tom Cave
23
UK
Kevin van Deijne
25
Netherlands
Gus Greensmith
18
UK
Will Hudson
29
USA
Ghislain De Mevius
26
Belgium
Nils Solans
22
Spain
Max Vatanen
24
Finland
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “The Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy is set to build on a hugely-successful season in 2014 which saw the championship decided on the very last loop of stages. The huge prize has again attracted a pleasant mix of rookie and more experienced drivers and it's encouraging that DMACK can help so many talented drivers get proper WRC experience.”
Malcolm Wilson OBE, M-Sport managing director, said: “It is great to see another strong international field in the Drive DMACK series, we have some of the brightest future talent in the sport from all over the world competing again this year. With Elfyn Evans’ first WRC podium in Argentina, Craig Breen heading the FIA European Championship and Pontus Tidemand leading the FIA Asia Pacific series, it’s clear that the format works. With the new EcoBoost-powered car, which is new to everyone, it looks like the pieces are in place for another great season.”
Tom Cave, 2014 runner-up, said: “It’s great to be back in the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy again and we’re aiming to be fighting again for wins this year. The series provided me with fantastic experience last year and I aim to build on that to come back even stronger. I’m really excited with the prospect of driving the new Fiesta and we’ve been preparing hard for the first round in Portugal.”
Mats van den Brand, 2014 shoot-out winner, said: “This is a great opportunity and again I thank M-Sport and DMACK for putting their faith in me. Taking part in five WRC events as part of a competitive championship is fantastic and something I’m preparing hard for. I intend to give it my best shot and make the most of this great chance.”Wed, 29 Apr 2015 13:10:00 +0000Double DMACK Podium In Argentine Endurance Eventhttp://dmacktyres.com/double-dmack-podium-in-argentine-endurance-eventhttp://dmacktyres.com/double-dmack-podium-in-argentine-endurance-eventDMACK runners scored a double WRC 2 podium this afternoon at Rally Argentina – one of the toughest events in the recent history of the FIA World Rally Championship. Paraguayan pilot Diego Dominguez finished a fabulous second while Drive DMACK’s Jari Ketomaa battled through a troubled three days to take third.
In an event which saw a number of the field succumb to the punishing pampas stages, the result allows Ketomaa to extend his lead at the top of the WRC 2 Drivers Championship while the Drive DMACK squad continues to top the table in its defence of the teams’ title.
The arduous Argentine roads were much tougher than expected with their extreme conditions likened to classic iconic challenges such as the Safari and Acropolis rallies. Heavy rain over the last few months had washed away the soft top surface, resulting in exposed bedrock and huge, sharp stones.
The result was one of the toughest challenges in recent events and DMACK’s gravel tyres, manufactured in partnership with Yongtai in China, had to deal with a diverse and ever-changing range of conditions. Remarkably the DMG+2 tyre coped well, providing crews with the strength and durability to deal with the rough roads and the performance to seal two podium places. DMACK runners used both available compounds, the soft S6 and the hard S3, to deal with the gruelling gravel roads.
Sandy sections were contrasted with hard bedrock, which battered the Ford Fiesta R5 cars driven by both Ketomaa and Drive DMACK team-mate Nicolas Fuchs.
Finns Ketomaa and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom pulled off a fine result after battling through the only South American round of the championship – based in Villa Carlos Paz near Cordoba. They dealt with a number of mechanical issues, including having to complete over 40km without power steering, to come home in third and extend their championship lead.
While Peruvian Fuchs had a number of mechanical issues, and eventually retired on the final stage of the event at El Condor this afternoon, Dominguez put in a fault-free run to storm home in second place.
The action-packed event, characterised by high-speed water splashes and energetic Argentine fans, is steeped in history. The start on Thursday evening saw crews migrate south to San Luis for a 2.68km super special stage lined with thousands of fans.
The real action began on Friday to the north of Carlos Paz and included two tough runs over the 51.99km Agua de Oro to Ascochinga test. Saturday took competitors to La Falda for four stages before the action peaked with two passes over the legendary El Condor mountain stage this afternoon.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “We knew it was going to be a difficult event but the conditions exceeded expectations. Our tyres performed exceptionally well to overcome the challenges and I’m pleased we could help Diego and Jari finish on the podium. Diego drove a great rally while Jari and the Autotek team managed the situation well to overcome a range of problems and ensure we still lead both driver and team championships.”
Jari Ketomaa said: “I have to say this was one of the hardest events I’ve done for a while. The stages were punishing on cars and tyres and it was difficult to get a good feeling. But rallying is all about mastering the situation and we did the best job possible. It was important to get a podium again and the finish means we stretch the lead a little in the championship.”Sun, 26 Apr 2015 07:50:00 +0000Arduous Argentina Awaits For DMACKhttp://dmacktyres.com/arduous-argentina-awaits-for-dmackhttp://dmacktyres.com/arduous-argentina-awaits-for-dmackLast year&rsquo;s only South American round of the FIA World Rally Championship proved to be a challenging affair and DMACK is expecting another arduous test when it rocks up for next week&rsquo;s Rally Argentina.
The fourth round of the world series not only welcomes teams with its famous Fiesta atmosphere but also delivers a range of tough gravel conditions to test DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 gravel tyre. From flat-out tracks through open plains to rocky mountain roads above the clouds &ndash; this energetic event has it all.
DMACK arrives in the host town of Villa Carlos Paz in Cordoba province safe in the knowledge that its soft compound S6, which has been selected as the nominated tyre for the first time this season, has a strong record in Argentina. Martin Prokop scored DMACK&rsquo;s best-ever WRC finish of fourth overall here in 2012 and the S6 feels at home in the generally soft, sandy conditions.
DMACK will supply half the WRC 2 field next week including championship leader Jari Ketomaa and Peruvian Nicolas Fuchs &ndash; both nominated to score points for the Drive DMACK squad which also tops the teams standings. Piloting Ford Fiesta R5 cars, they will be joined by another three Fiesta R5 crews in WRC 2 and a host of privateer South American stars who&rsquo;ve opted to run with DMACK&rsquo;s championship-winning rubber.
They will face a diverse mix of conditions and, with the event running a slightly earlier slot in the calendar, ambient temperatures are expected to be higher and road surfaces more compact. The technical stages are characterised by jumps and water splashes with the soft surfaces exposing rocks, especially on second pass.
But it&rsquo;s also the long stages which drivers must contend with to manage their tyre allocation effectively. DMACK&rsquo;s gravel tyre, however, is expected to perform well and WRC 2 crews have a total of 22 tyres to use over the weekend.
Thursday sees a trek south to San Luis for a 2.68km super special stage, which is set to attract thousands of energetic Argentine fans. Friday features the 51.99km Agua de Oro / Ascochinga test run twice to the north of Villa Carlos Paz while Saturday hosts a two-stage loop, including a 56.77km stage, run twice. Sunday finishes with two runs over the high-altitude El Condor test, which carves its way through a unique lunar-like landscape.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;This was a very difficult event last year with the stages much rougher than we expected. This year we will see a real mix of conditions but I&rsquo;m happy that our DMG+2 tyres will be able to handle the tough conditions again. With long stages each day, there&rsquo;s no doubting this is going to be another difficult event where tyre management is crucial.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;Argentina is one of the legendary rallies in WRC. The roads are always a challenge and it&rsquo;s an event that carries a long history. Our aim here is to push for the win but, once again, we need to be clever and attack on the parts which suit the R5 car more. The risk of punctures is high because some of the stages are rocky but we know the DMACK tyre works well here so we have a good level of confidence.&rdquo;
Nicolas Fuchs said: &ldquo;The stages are really nice here and, for me, it certainly feels like my home round of the WRC. The energy from the fans makes it a very special rally and there&rsquo;s everything in the stages, from high-speed jumps to water crossings and mountain roads, so it&rsquo;s a very big challenge. My second place in Mexico has given me good confidence so we will be pushing in Argentina next week.&rdquo;Fri, 17 Apr 2015 15:06:00 +0000DMACK Extends Supply Contract To South American Rally Championshiphttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-extends-supply-contract-to-south-american-rally-championshiphttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-extends-supply-contract-to-south-american-rally-championshipBritish tyre manufacturer DMACK has extended its contract as sole tyre supplier to the FIA CODASUR South American Rally Championship after agreeing terms for another two years. The deal sees DMACK as tyre partner to the series for four consecutive seasons having begun its relationship in 2013.
The popular championship features five demanding rounds across the continent &ndash; kicking off with Rally Argentina in April before visiting events in Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Uruguay.
Each event features up to 180km of special stages run across a variety of tough gravel surfaces including loose sand, clay, dirt and mud terrain. Competitors will continue to use DMACK&rsquo;s DMG2 gravel tyre in the medium G42 compound, which has proved to be both competitive and extremely versatile across the range of conditions.
It has been developed using technology from DMACK&rsquo;s world rally programme and features a tough construction, adaptable tread pattern and Kevlar-strengthened sidewalls offering a solid level of puncture resistance.
The DMG2 is popular with competitors who have built up a strong level of confidence in the product and are keen to be associated with DMACK&rsquo;s world title-winning performances in the FIA World Rally Championship.
On event distribution, fitting and technical support is provided by DMACK&rsquo;s partner Distrimotor, with the tyre firm&rsquo;s American sales manager Paul Handal providing guidance through liaison with competitors and teams.
Paul Handal, DMACK America sales manager, said: &ldquo;DMACK has established itself as both a high-performance and extremely credible brand across South America. We&rsquo;ve got a strong relationship with the FIA CODASUR series as we bring a product packed with technology from competition at the top level of the sport which is both competitive and cost-effective. The model is a true example of how our WRC activities filter down to successful regional and national championships.&rdquo;Fri, 20 Mar 2015 11:28:00 +0000Double DMACK Podium On Tough Rally Mexicohttp://dmacktyres.com/double-dmack-podium-on-tough-rally-mexicohttp://dmacktyres.com/double-dmack-podium-on-tough-rally-mexicoDMACK mastered the tough conditions at Rally Guanajuato Mexico this weekend as its drivers scored a double WRC 2 podium on the first loose surface round of the 2015 FIA World Rally Championship.
Peruvian Nicolas Fuchs and Argentine co-driver Fernando Mussano powered their Ford Fiesta R5 to second after a strong performance over the four-day event to kick-start their 2015 campaign in style.
Finns Jari Ketomaa and Kaj Lindstrom in an Autotek-prepared Fiesta R5 finished just 21 seconds adrift in third after a broken driveshaft dropped them back from second place yesterday. However, the pair now open up a solid lead at the top of the drivers’ championship with the Drive DMACK team also topping the teams’ race.
The tough return to gravel combined with high altitude stages made the event a real challenge. DMACK had brought its recently upgraded DMG+2 gravel tyres to the third round of the world series. Its stiff tread blocks offered high-speed stability on the fast gravel roads which ran high in the Sierra de Lobos and Sierra de Guanajuato mountains above host city Leon.
The hard S3 compound was used by all DMACK runners for the majority of the event as it offered the durability needed to complete the long loops of stages. Resilient tyre construction and proven sidewall protection also meant the DMACK runners had the confidence to tackle the rough gravel roads even on the rock-strewn second pass through the stages. However, with crews allowed to use a maximum of just 22 tyres over the entire weekend, there was an emphasis on clever management of the available rubber. DMACK’s on-event technical team worked closely with competitors to ensure they had a plan to best manage tyre resources.
Rally Mexico started in the stunningly colourful town of Guanajuato on Thursday evening before the true action switched to the tough mountain stages on Friday. Saturday boasted a huge 86km loop of special stages while today’s final action featured the huge 55.82km Guanajuatito test.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “Both Nicolas and Jari have driven a very clever rally, carefully managing where they could push and where they needed to back off. Our tyres once again performed well in some tough conditions. Having two DMACK runners on the podium is extremely encouraging and demonstrates our strong gravel product offering performance and robust durability.”
Nicolas Fuchs said: “The rally was amazing for me. It’s very tricky and we tried to be as safe as possible and driving very neat. Today we broke the anti roll bar when we were in a big fight for second place so it was a great feeling to get back to the finish with this result. It’s a nice way to start my season and now I can push in Argentina.”
Jari Ketomaa said: “We knew before the rally that we wouldn’t be able to fight with the regional cars so we drove at our own speed. It’s a difficult rally with the high altitude draining power and the width of the road changing a lot to make it quite tricky. I was disappointed to drop to third with a broken driveshaft but it’s still good points on the board and now we lead the championship.”Mon, 09 Mar 2015 09:02:00 +0000Long Stages To Deliver Tough Test In Mexicohttp://dmacktyres.com/long-stages-to-deliver-tough-test-in-mexicohttp://dmacktyres.com/long-stages-to-deliver-tough-test-in-mexicoDMACK is predicting a tough return to gravel next week when the FIA World Rally Championship hosts the first loose surface action of the season at Rally Guanajuato Mexico. The high altitude stages, high ambient temperatures and reduced tyre allocations will force drivers to work closely with manufacturers to manage their tyre package effectively.
The stages around Leon are literally the pinnacle of the championship &ndash; reaching the highest point of the season. It&rsquo;s a compact route, with 40% of the entire distance comprising competitive stages, but the mix of loose and abrasive surfaces together with high speeds delivers a real test for tyres.
DMACK has nominated its DMG+2, which features a number of construction tweaks for 2015, in the hard S3 compound to provide a mix of performance and durability. The hard compound means tread blocks are stiffer to offer greater high-speed stability and improved durability in the energy-soaking temperatures and rough gravel roads.
Generally punctures are not a huge issue in Mexico and DMACK&rsquo;s gravel tyres must offer enough protection to give drivers the confidence to carry just one spare and keep weight to a minimum.
With maximum tyre allowances reduced for 2015, competitors need an even greater focus on management. In Mexico that means checking and adjusting tyre pressures, which can rise and fall with altitude changes, and complex tyres changes during each loop of stages to ensure the best possible performance on the long speed tests.
DMACK&rsquo;s on-event technical team will work closely with competitors to ensure they have a plan to best manage tyre resources. In addition to the S3, crews will also have access to the soft compound S6 as an alternative for wet weather.
After a stunning WRC 2 victory in Sweden two weeks ago, championship leaders Jari Ketomaa and Kaj Lindstrom will take to the stages in their Drive DMACK World Rally Team Ford Fiesta R5. DMACK will also support Peruvian Nicolas Fuchs as he kicks off his 2015 campaign in a M-Sport Fiesta R5 and local star Ricardo Trivino.
Rally Mexico is one of the fun events of the season. It&rsquo;s renowned for the energetic ceremonial start in the stunningly colourful town of Guanajuato &ndash; a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Crowds flock from afar to watch the opening street stage running through tunnels under the town on Thursday evening.
The high-action route then switches to the dirt roads traversing the Sierra de Lobos and Sierra de Guanjuato mountains. Friday features two passes over the 44.13km El Chocolate test while. Saturday boasts a huge 86km loop of special stages while the final action on Sunday is capped off with the huge 55.82km Guanajuatito stage.
Crews will finish back at the Leon Poliforum on Sunday afternoon after 21 stages covering 395.21km.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;Tyre management will be critical in Mexico and I think drivers need to think carefully around how they best deal with some of the long distances. Tyre allocations have dropped again this year creating more of a focus on clever management and ensuring drivers and tyre manufacturers work together seamlessly. Mexico is a fast event where high speed stability and confident precision is critical.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;I'm really looking forward to Mexico, I really enjoy the fast gravel roads. We need to have a good package with car, crew and tyres all working well together to stay ahead of the regional cars. I had a good felling with the car in GB and Sweden so I&rsquo;m hoping we can be competitive again next week.&rdquo;Fri, 27 Feb 2015 13:00:00 +0000DMACK Seals Convincing 1-2 Victory In Swedenhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-seals-convincing-1-2-victory-in-swedenhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-seals-convincing-1-2-victory-in-swedenThe Drive DMACK World Rally Team took a stunning 1-2 victory at Rally Sweden today after Jari Ketomaa and Kaj Lindstrom controlled the event from the start as the team began the defence of its WRC 2 Teams world title.
Team-mates Eyvind Brynildsen and Anders Fredriksson cruised home in second to see the untouchable DMACK crews finish nearly three minutes ahead of a competitive field of WRC 2 drivers. It was the best possible start for both crews as they lit up the frozen Swedish stages and set a blistering pace all weekend on the debut of DMACK&rsquo;s all-new winter rally tyre.
After being edged out of victory on the final stage last year, flying Finns Ketomaa and Lindstrom were hungry for a win and used DMACK&rsquo;s DMG-ICE tyre to blitz the opposition on the opening day in their Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5. Norwegian Brynildsen and Swede Fredriksson put their home advantage to good use as they traded times with Ketomaa on day two at the wheel of a Fiesta RRC.
Round two of the FIA World Rally Championship, Rally Sweden is the only winter event of the season and was the opening rally in the two-car Drive DMACK World Rally Team&rsquo;s 2015 campaign. The challenge of tackling the frozen forest roads is immense with tyres required to find incredible levels of traction in the extreme conditions.
DMACK used the event to successfully launch a new version of its DMG-ICE studded tyre, which was immediately on the pace of its Michelin and Pirelli counterparts. The tyre company&rsquo;s technical team may be small but it had a firm focus on delivering a number of structural improvements including a new construction and rubber compound, while retaining the unique V-shape tread pattern which works well in loose snow.
However, the most significant improvement came from the new metal studs. Each tyre features 384 metal studs to bite into the ice and DMACK&rsquo;s focus on evolving the stud, alongside a more robust studding system, really paid dividends. The improved stud retention allowed Ketomaa and Brynildsen to lift the pace and handed them an edge over the other WRC 2 competitors.
The snowy action was played out over four days and blasted off with the popular Karlstad super special stage held in front of a packed stadium of energetic fans. But it was when the action moved to the fast, flowing forests of Norway and Sweden on Friday that Ketomaa stamped his authority.
He opened up a comfortable gap by the end of day one and controlled the lead right through to the final stage near Hagfors this afternoon.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;This incredible result is the culmination of a huge effort from our modest technical team and input from Yongtai in China. DMACK may not have the resources of other tyre manufacturers but the passion and determination to succeed runs throughout the company at every level. I believe it&rsquo;s our biggest win in WRC so far and a real defining moment for DMACK, proving our winter tyre is capable of matching and edging ahead of the other tyre manufacturers. Jari and Eyvind have delivered an incredible pace this weekend so well done to them also.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m so pleased to get this result here in Sweden, it&rsquo;s a fantastic feeling. Everyone at DMACK has worked hard on this new tyre and now it all pays off. We pushed hard on the first day to build a lead and controlled it from there. The pace was hot and we were forced to drive pretty quickly all weekend but it was also a very enjoyable rally. When everything works here, the car, the tyres, driver and co-driver, then the stages are so much fun.&rdquo;
Eyvind Brynildsen said: &ldquo;My aim was to come here to try and win so it&rsquo;s a little disappointing to finish second but helping DMACK get a 1-2 is really good. I&rsquo;ve driven the whole rally without any mistakes and the speed was very good when everything was going well. Overall it has been a tough but enjoyable rally with a great result at the end.&rdquo;Mon, 16 Feb 2015 08:53:00 +0000New Tyres And New Team For DMACK In Swedenhttp://dmacktyres.com/new-tyres-and-new-team-for-dmack-in-swedenhttp://dmacktyres.com/new-tyres-and-new-team-for-dmack-in-swedenNext week’s Rally Sweden, round two of the FIA World Rally Championship, sees two firsts for official tyre supplier DMACK as it begins its WRC 2 teams title defence.
The winter event is the first of the season for the Drive DMACK World Rally Team with Finn Jari Ketomaa and Norwegian Eyvind Brynildsen scoring points for the champion squad. Ketomaa and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom were WRC 2 runners-up last year in Sweden after a dramatic final stage battle and have their sights firmly set on going one better next week.
Meanwhile Brynildsen and Swedish co-driver Anders Fredriksson are hoping for a little local advantage after tasting success already this season in the Norwegian national championship. They tackle the event, as a one-off appearance for Drive DMACK, in a Ford Fiesta RRC while Ketomaa is piloting a Fiesta R5 – both cars maintained on the event by Autotek.
With Rally Sweden such a specialised challenge, DMACK has been consistently learning each year and will run its new specification studded tyre for the first time. The all-new DMG-ICE retains the same V-style tread pattern, which is so effective in loose snow, but boats a number of structural improvements to deal with frozen gravel and ice.
The new tyre benefits from an evolved stiffer compound, upgraded construction, new-style metal studs and a modified studding system – all with the aim to improve grip and traction on ice and rutted gravel roads. Each tyre boasts 384 metal pins, each protruding 6.5mm, in a bid to bite into the ice and deliver remarkable grip.
The conditions in Sweden are some of the most extreme in the whole championship and those challenges reflect heavily on tyres. Temperatures can regularly dip as low as minus 20 degrees and in recent years the scarcity of snow has meant exposed gravel and rutted roads have ripped studs from the tyres. The high speeds, however, demand precision so drivers must cleverly manage tyre allocations and ensure they have enough studs left to remain competitive.
The event is the only snow rally of the season and opens with a popular blast around Karlstad’s trotting track, which attracts thousands of fans, on Thursday evening. Much of Friday’s action takes place in Norway with a remote service, while Saturday and Sunday stages are based around the service park at Hagfors. Crews will tackle 21 timed stages and 308km of competitive action.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “Rally Sweden is a hugely demanding event for tyres but we took a lot of technical information from last year and have implemented some key performance improvements for this rally. We achieved a huge amount last season and we’ve all been working hard to ensure DMACK remains at the forefront of WRC 2.”
Jari Ketomaa said: “We had a good performance last year on this rally when the conditions were very tough and I’ve been working with DMACK on some specific improvements to the tyre for this year. I’m looking forward to the rally and glad to be back helping DMACK to achieve hopefully even more success in 2015.”
Eyvind Brynildsen said: “Rally Sweden is a key event for me and we certainly go there aiming to fight for a win. We’ve already completed some snow rallies this season and have another 150km with a rally in Norway this weekend. This is my home round of the WRC so I’m hoping for some local support as it’s going to be a big fight with other drivers like Pontus Tidemand and Jari Ketomaa.”Fri, 06 Feb 2015 12:59:00 +0000DMACK Defends World Title With Two-Car Teamhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-defends-world-title-with-two-car-teamhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-defends-world-title-with-two-car-teamCurrent WRC 2 Teams World Champion, and authorised tyre supplier to the FIA World Rally Championship, DMACK will return this season to defend its title in WRC 2. The tyre manufacturer will field a two-car Ford Fiesta R5 team under its familiar Drive DMACK moniker, with Jari Ketomaa kick-starting the action at Rally Sweden next week.
After finishing runner-up in Sweden last year, he and fellow Finn Kaj Lindstrom will be hoping to go one better to open their title defence in style. Ketomaa&rsquo;s Fiesta R5 will be prepared and maintained by Autotek and he&rsquo;s set to take on Rally Mexico and Rally Argentina straight after Sweden.
While Ketomaa brings a wealth of experience to the team, it will be the first season in WRC 2 for Estonia&rsquo;s Sander P&auml;rn and Welsh co-driver James Morgan. The 2014 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy winners jump into the seat of their M-Sport-run Fiesta R5 as their prize drive reward for winning the young driver series. The seven-round WRC 2 programme awarded by DMACK is currently the biggest prize on offer in world rallying.
P&auml;rn&rsquo;s campaign will begin with Rally Portugal in May &ndash; the rally where his three-event winning streak in the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy began last season.
DMACK will provide a complete range of upgraded tyres this season featuring evolved construction and compound specifications to boost performance across all surfaces.
As the only series within the FIA World Rally Championship where all four tyre manufacturers - DMACK, Hankook, Michelin and Pirelli - consistently do battle, this year&rsquo;s WRC 2 is set to be one of the highlights of the season. Last season&rsquo;s championship attracted 40 competitors, seven different car suppliers with the drivers&rsquo; title being decided on the very last event.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;The WRC is the ultimate platform for DMACK to prove its motorsport products to a world audience and we welcome the fierce competition from the three other tyre manufacturers. After the success of our WRC 2 campaign in 2014 and the hugely-popular launch of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy, we are all thrilled to field both Jari and Sander this season and wish them all the best.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m excited to return to the Drive DMACK team again and we have a strong base to work from with the success off last year. DMACK has been working hard on testing and, from a driver&rsquo;s perspective, it will be a boost to have some newly developed tyres this year. Personally, I&rsquo;ve been working hard over the winter to improve the Sweden winter tyre and it feels really good.&rdquo;
Sander P&auml;rn said: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m really looking forward to the step up from the Ford Fiesta R2 to the Fiesta R5 this year and winning the DMACK Fiesta Trophy prize was such as huge step in my career. I&rsquo;ve already been testing and I was surprised how easy the car was to drive but obviously we need more experience to be able to drive it near the limit. Moving into WRC 2 and working with M-Sport and DMACK will make it a fantastic year for me.&rdquo;Wed, 04 Feb 2015 14:29:00 +0000DMACK Partners Subaru To American Victoryhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-partners-subaru-to-american-victoryhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-partners-subaru-to-american-victoryThe DMACK-supported Subaru Rally Team USA got its Rally America National Championship off to a perfect start with a dominant opening victory on the Sno*Drift Rally last weekend. Defending Rally America champion David Higgins blitzed the opposition, taking overall victory by over nine minutes after winning all 17 competitive stages and giving the all-new 2015 Subaru WRX STI a dream debut victory.
DMACK became official tyre supplier to the squad in July 2014 and since then both team drivers, Higgins and Travis Pastrana, have dominated the Rally America standings.
DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 gravel tyres, as used by crews in the FIA World Rally Championship, have proved to be the perfect choice for the official Subaru drivers in the States. They&rsquo;ve easily got to grips with the soft forest tracks which many of the rounds use and allowed Higgins to take a number of overall victories and seal his fourth Rally America title.
Last weekend&rsquo;s Sno*Drift Rally, round one of the 2015 championship, saw crews race across 120 miles of snow and ice-covered roads in northern Michigan.
Subaru Rally Team USA now heads to the high-speed gravel roads of The Rally in the 100 Acre Wood, held near Salem, Missouri on 27-28 February.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Our partnership with Subaru Rally Team USA brought a number of overall victories last year and it&rsquo;s fantastic to see the winning streak continue with the first outing of the new car. The partnership is the perfect platform for DMACK to showcase its motorsport tyres and promote the range of road and all terrain tyres for the public.&rdquo;
David Higgins said: "The Sno*Drift Rally is always such a challenge to even finish and stay on the road. It's one of those events that the biggest challenge is not the other drivers but the stages themselves. The conditions are always changing and the grip levels are always different from one corner to the next. It's really impressive to run a full race with a brand new car and not have any problems or setup changes whatsoever.&rdquo;Tue, 03 Feb 2015 14:04:00 +0000DMACK’s Fab Fifth Season Kicks Off With Montehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack--s-fab-fifth-season-kicks-off-with-montehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack--s-fab-fifth-season-kicks-off-with-monteDMACK will begin its fifth season as an authorised tyre supplier to the FIA World Rally Championship next week with the traditional season-opener on the iconic Rallye Monte Carlo.
After winning the WRC 2 Teams World Championship last year and proving the performance of its tyres across the season, DMACK has its sights set firmly on further developing those products during the first half of 2015. The company plans to undertake an ambitious asphalt testing programme and introduce a new range of sealed-surface tyres – with the aim of significantly boosting asphalt performance.
In the meantime, the focus is firmly on Monte – one of the most famous, well-known and respected rally events, it provides a unique challenge for both competitors and tyre manufacturers.
The traditional asphalt speed tests ribbon their way through the high-altitude mountain passes and it’s that terrain, mixed with the traditional tough winter conditions, which make the event a classic.
Experience of the conditions, predicting the weather and making compromising decisions around tyre choice can make a winning difference. Drivers can expect to face snow, ice, dry and wet asphalt – often all in the same special stage. And to cope with the diverse conditions experienced on the event, DMACK will provide five different asphalt tyres.
For snow and ice-covered roads, competitors will use DMACK’s DMT-ICE in either studded or un-studded form – both tyres featuring upgraded construction and compound changes to maximise performance. The studded tyre is equipped with nearly 200 metal pins – each protruding 2mm to help bite into the frozen ice and extract as much grip as possible from the cold conditions.
For dry, wet and mixed asphalt roads, crews will turn to the proven DMT-RC asphalt tyre which DMACK retains from last year. It is available in three compounds – the hard H3, soft S3 and the extra soft XS3. Competitors in WRC 2 are allowed to use a maximum of 30 tyres for the event from a complex allocation of 74 tyres.
Event Details
One again based in the town of Gap in the Hautes Alpes region of France, Rallye Monte Carlo will kick off with a glitzy start outside the Casino in Monaco on Thursday evening before crews tackle two night-time stages on the way north to Gap.
Friday’s action is held further north and sees two passes over a new three-stage loop in the Hautes Alpes and Isère regions. Competitors return to Monaco on Saturday via the classic Sisteron test and the huge 51.70km run through Lardier et Valença - Faye. Sunday sees more familiar territory with three stages taking in the legendary Col de Turini where thousands of fans line the mountain pass to catch some of the most exciting action the event has to offer.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “Monte Carlo is renowned for its classic format and hugely demanding conditions where there is a real focus on tyre choice and performance. DMACK brings five different tyres to help competitors master the conditions and once again we continue to evolve our range, offering competitors a range of tyres that build on our championship-winning success in 2014.”Fri, 16 Jan 2015 12:11:00 +0000Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy Grows With New Car And Six Roundshttp://dmacktyres.com/drive-dmack-fiesta-trophy-grows-with-new-car-and-six-roundshttp://dmacktyres.com/drive-dmack-fiesta-trophy-grows-with-new-car-and-six-rounds• 2015 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy launched and application process opened. • Six round championship over five FIA World Rally Championship events. • All-new Ford Fiesta R2 with 1.0 litre Ecoboost turbocharged engine. • Continues to offer biggest prize in rallying – seven-round WRC 2 campaign. After a hugely successful and oversubscribed inaugural season last year, the new-look Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy has been launched for 2015. The series, driven by tyre manufacturer DMACK and rally preparation experts M-Sport, will once again see emerging drivers from around the world compete for the biggest prize in world rallying over six rounds and five FIA World Rally Championship events. While the popular series will follow a similar format this season, those competitors lucky enough to be selected will be driving all-new Ford Fiesta R2 cars powered by Ford’s 1.0 litre turbocharged Ecoboost engine – launched today at the Autosport International Show. The Fiestas will be prepared and run by M-Sport and equipped with the latest DMACK tyres – a package which proved both reliable and extremely competitive during the 2014 season. The five events from last year make up this season’s action with gravel rounds on Rally Portugal, Poland and Finland followed by asphalt in Germany and then a mixed-surface event in Spain. However, to boost the fiercely competitive series even further, the final showdown at Rally de Espana will run as two separate rounds with two sets of championship points on offer. The best five scores from six rounds will count towards the championship and points will also be awarded for stage victories on all events. Priced at just £115,000, the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy remains extremely cost-effective and the most affordable way for aspiring drivers to showcase their talent on the world stage. As the Trophy is intended for career-minded and developing drivers, there is no age limit and organisers believe the format will be attractive to a large number of European and overseas crews, opening up access to the top level of the sport. Drivers will fight for the huge prize of a full seven-round season in WRC 2 in 2016 – the biggest package on offer in world rallying. Applications are now being accepted, with full details here: http://ow.ly/GYVLh
Application forms available here: http://ow.ly/GYVRE. It’s anticipated that around 16 places will be available and the initial selection of competitors will take place on 27 February, however, applications will continue to be accepted until 17 April. Further details on all aspects of the Trophy are available from M-Sport’s Andrew Wheatley on awheatley@m-sport.co.uk. Malcolm Wilson OBE, M-Sport managing director, said: “Last year’s Trophy was a great success and the interest that we have received so far indicates that 2015 will be no different. The new evolution, 1.0 litre Ford Fiesta R2 will provide competitors with a fantastic platform to showcase their skills and I’m expecting even more new talent to come to the fore.” Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: “The format of the Trophy has proven both competitive and popular, and the changes introduced for this year will ensure it remains the most affordable way to compete in the WRC. DMACK has always focused on stimulating cost-effective competition by providing an affordable range of performance motorsport tyres and we’ve seen some great overall results during 2014. The huge prize and low-cost platform will undoubtedly result in even more interest this year.” Media contact: Glenn Patterson +44 7872 470115 glenn.patterson@dmacktyres.comThu, 08 Jan 2015 10:49:00 +0000Dominant DMACK Victory With Home Event Winhttp://dmacktyres.com/dominant-dmack-victory-with-home-event-winhttp://dmacktyres.com/dominant-dmack-victory-with-home-event-winDMACK celebrated a dominant WRC 2 victory today after Jari Ketomaa and Kaj Lindstrom delivered an untouchable drive on DMACK’s 50th WRC event. The Finns stormed to a 57-second victory on the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship this weekend after leading from start to finish on Wales Rally GB.
The result secures their runner-up position in the WRC 2 Driver’s Championship – backing up DMACK’s world title as 2014 Team Champions. Estonians Ott Tänak and Raigo Molder in a M-Sport Ford Fiesta RS WRC also delivered an impressive drive, finishing seventh overall and top privateers on their return to the premier category.
DMACK had been expecting a strong result on its home round of the world championship. Its DMG+2 gravel tyres have proved extremely competitive on this year’s gravel events and excelled on this weekend’s muddy, slippery conditions.Ketomaa set the early pace when the event kicked off on Friday morning, as crews tackled some iconic forest stages in mid-Wales. After setting fastest times on five of the opening day’s eight stages, he opened up an overnight lead of nearly 40 seconds and controlled the event from there. Pushing his Autotek-run Fiesta R5 when the conditions suited, Ketomaa extended his lead to finish nearly one minute ahead of his closest rival.
Tänak’s solid run proved he has the speed and talent to mix it with the world’s best. He successfully debuted DMACK’s new S6A gravel tyre, which has been designed specifically for WRC cars, and delivered the grip and performance needed to mix it with the manufacturer teams.
Alongside Ketomaa’s winning drive, DMACK-equipped drivers scored a number of other memorable results. Welshman Tom Cave finished fourth in WRC 2 while local star Osian Pryce set a number of stunning stage times on his way to 18th overall on his four-wheel-drive rally debut. Phillip Morrow had a strong event and finished as top Production specification runner in his Mitsubishi Evo while Top Gear magazine editor Ollie Marriage used DMACK’s clubman rally tyre to take a class win on the National section of the rally.
The climax of this year’s WRC was another demanding round. While the weather wasn’t so tough, the Welsh stages were super slippery. Mud on the first pass and polished bedrock on the second ensured drivers faced some difficult conditions. But DMACK’s soft S6 compound worked exceptionally well, allowing drivers to master the fast forest tracks.
Friday’s action took place in mid-Wales with two passes over a four-stage loop including the iconic Sweet Lamb test – the longest of the weekend at 23.55km. Then competitors headed north, closer to the rally base near Chester, where the racing headed to the tricky Clocaenog and Dyfnant forests.
Today’s final stages included two runs through Kinmel Park before podium celebrations in Llandudno. Drivers covered 305km of action across 23 timed special stages.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “This is a special result for DMACK. After five second places, Jari has scored a dominant and memorable victory on our home event and Ott’s performance amongst the WRC regulars has been outstanding. DMACK products have worked exceptionally well in some very tricky conditions to score victories in both the International and National sections at the hands of experienced and clubman competitors.”
Jari Ketomaa said: “My main target was to win this rally and it feels really nice to take a victory at the end of the season. Rally GB is a tough event and a rally that every driver wants to win. It was a very controlled drive, after opening up a gap we just held position and pushed when we needed to. We knew the tyres would work well here and victory was our only aim.”
Ott Tänak said: “We’ve had a very good weekend and I’ve really enjoyed being back in a WRC car at the top level of the sport. It was important for us to drive without any mistakes, to get the experience and hopefully this result will be good for our future. The conditions were difficult but we worked well together and the new DMACK tyre was strong in the rough sections.”Mon, 17 Nov 2014 10:55:00 +0000Blackcircles.com and DMACK Agree Exclusive UK Supply Partnershiphttp://dmacktyres.com/blackcircles-com-and-dmack-agree-exclusive-uk-supply-partnershiphttp://dmacktyres.com/blackcircles-com-and-dmack-agree-exclusive-uk-supply-partnershipBritish tyre manufacturer DMACK has agreed an exclusive UK supply partnership with leading online tyre retailer Blackcircles.com for its new passenger car tyre range. The partnership will see Blackcircles.com offering DMACK PCR products to its customers and retail partners from January 2015.
Best known for its motorsport activities and success in the FIA World Rally Championship, where the Drive DMACK team became WRC2 Teams World Champions this year, DMACK has been developing an exciting range of road tyres through 2013. Headed by the top-of-the-range Kinetic S high-performance tyre, DMACK’s PCR offering is aimed at the mid-range market with the brand’s motorsport legacy adding value for retailers and boosting confidence for consumers.
Blackcircles.com has led the online revolution and is firmly positioned as the UKs leading online tyre retailer. The business model combines a lean supply chain with state of the art online shop-front and the largest network of affiliated fitters in the UK. This combination ensures Blackcircles.com provides the largest range of quality tyres at the best prices with convenient fitting options. Customer service is at the core of Blackcircles.com with customers rating the service as excellent (5*) 90% of the time.
The partnership is uniquely synergistic with both companies seen as innovators in the traditional tyre industry. Blackcircles.com has created and driven the online tyre market, whilst also being at the forefront of ensuring that online providers provide market-beating prices and customer service. DMACK created a leading motorsport brand and is now using this performance heritage to market and promote a range of quality consumer products.
The partnership was revealed at Wales Rally GB, the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship (14-16 Nov), where the DMACK team cars carry prominent Blackcircles.com branding – the first of many opportunities for dual brand building. DMACK and Blackcircles.com’s motorsport activities will become a key platform to ensure ongoing consumer marketing and to create opportunities for customer engagement and retailer rewards.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: “By carefully selecting distribution and retail partners in key markets, DMACK has already introduced its road tyre range to some important territories. In Blackcircles.com we’ve found the perfect partner for the UK. The company embraces DMACK’s ethos at all levels and understands our brand and retail aspirations. We believe Blackcircles.com's innovative approach to consumer engagement and meticulous attention to customer service will reap rewards for DMACK.”
Alastair Grier, Blackcircles.com commercial director, said: “We are delighted to join forces with DMACK as we continually strive to offer our customers the best quality products available. We are very selective in the partners we work with choosing only those with high integrity, innovation and who have a hunger to push the boundaries for the benefit of our most valued asset, our customers.”Mon, 10 Nov 2014 10:50:00 +0000DMACK Celebrates 50 Events With Exciting GB Entryhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-celebrates-50-events-with-exciting-gb-entryhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-celebrates-50-events-with-exciting-gb-entryNext week&rsquo;s conclusion to the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship will see an exciting celebration of number-related successes for British tyre firm DMACK. Building on a short but intense history at the highest level of the sport, DMACK will celebrate its 50th WRC event with a powerful line-up on its home round of the world series.
Since joining the WRC as an authorised tyre supplier in 2011, competitors using DMACK tyres will have competed on 50 world rally events when Wales Rally GB returns with its traditional mix of mud, rain and fast Welsh forest roads.
To celebrate the achievement, DMACK will field Estonians Ott T&auml;nak and Raigo Molder in a Ford Fiesta RS WRC as they step up to the top ranks after a season in WRC 2. T&auml;nak is the hottest property on the WRC scene and this is the second time he has tackled the UK event in a DMACK supported car. In 2011, on his debut drive in a WRC car, he set a third fastest stage time on his way to finishing sixth overall.
Alongside T&auml;nak, DMACK will supply 10 Fiesta R5 cars &ndash; a record number for the firm. Heading the pack is the Drive DMACK crew of Jari Ketomaa and Kaj Lindstrom &ndash; one of only two competitors still in with a chance of lifting the WRC 2 title. They are joined by a trio of local stars including British Championship front-runner Osian Pryce, Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy runner-up Tom Cave and multiple Scottish Rally Champion David Bogie.
DMACK will supply crews primarily with its DMG+2 gravel tyre in the soft S6 compound. It&rsquo;s a proven pace-setter, designed to provide traction in the damp, muddy forests, and helped competitors top the WRC 2 time sheets on last year&rsquo;s event. A maximum of 24 are permitted.T&auml;nak, however, will race on DMACK&rsquo;s new S6A tyre. Introduced as part of the joker regulations earlier this season, the new gravel tyre has been developed exclusively for use by world rally cars and features an upgraded construction.
Alongside the international runners, DMACK will also supply Ollie Marriage in the Top Gear Hyundai i20 &ndash; a special project which sees the popular motoring magazine editor tackle the national element of the event.
The final round of the 2014 championship is always a tough battle. The classic forests of north and mid-Wales boast some fast, flowing and unforgiving gravel roads, making the event a favourite with both drivers and fans. And the wicked Welsh weather can throw rain, fog and even snow into the mix to make the conditions even more demanding.
The classic event benefitted from a revival in 2013 with organisers refreshing the route and moving the event north to provide easier access for spectators. This year&rsquo;s edition retains a similar feel. After a Thursday evening ceremonial start in Colwyn Bay, crews head south early on Friday morning to tackle a four-stage loop, including the famous Hafren Sweet Lamb test &ndash; the longest of the event at 23.55km.
After a remote service in Newtown, the loop is repeated before the trip north to the service park in Deeside outside Chester.
Saturday morning features five stages around Llangollen including two runs through the demanding Clocaenog forest and a sprint around Chirk Castle. Four of the stages are repeated in the afternoon. Sunday brings the event to a close with a compact loop of three stages tackled twice before the finish podium celebrations in Llandudno.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s always special to compete on your home round of the WRC but the fact it&rsquo;s our 50th WRC start makes it even more memorable. When Ott first competed here with DMACK it was our first season in the championship and we&rsquo;ve progressed enormously since then. The conditions should favour our gravel tyre and we wish all DMACK crews the best of luck, especially Jari and Kaj, as they push for a strong finish in WRC 2.&rdquo;
Ott T&auml;nak said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s great to be back in a WRC car again, we&rsquo;ve had a good test this week and both the car and tyres feel really positive. Most of the stages are new for me so it will be a little difficult to know what to expect. Usually the first pass is quite nice with good grip but the surface in Wales can get polished and shiny for the second pass. But the plan is to go out and try to really enjoy the rally. Once we settle in then maybe we can push a little more and see how the times look.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;I like Rally GB a lot. We know our tyre is competitive from last year and I like the stages in the north &ndash; they are more technical and great driving stages. We have a small chance of the championship but my complete focus is on my performance. I know we have the pace to challenge in WRC 2 so hopefully things will go our way with no problems or technical issues.&rdquo;
DMACK&rsquo;s Wales Rally GB In Numbers1000: The number of gravel rally tyres DMACK will transport to the event305: Competitive kilometres of high-speed action 50: FIA World Rally Championship events for DMACK 24: The maximum number of DMACK gravel rally tyres permitted for the event 23: The number of competitive special stages 10: Ford Fiesta R5 cars running on DMACK tyres 8: DMACK team personnel at Rally GB 2: Ott T&auml;nak&rsquo;s second drive in a DMACK-supported Fiesta RS WRC 1: The first event for DMACK&rsquo;s new S6A gravel tyre exclusively for WRC carsFri, 07 Nov 2014 10:38:00 +0000Pärn And Morgan Land Huge Drive DMACK Rally Prizehttp://dmacktyres.com/p-rn-and-morgan-land-huge-drive-dmack-rally-prizehttp://dmacktyres.com/p-rn-and-morgan-land-huge-drive-dmack-rally-prizeEstonia&rsquo;s Sander Pärn (22) and Welsh co-driver James Morgan (23) have been crowned 2014 Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy winners on the series finale at Rally de España today. Holding a strong lead after winning the opening three rounds of the series, the pair put in a measured drive to secure the title with a 19-point advantage. Their reward is the biggest prize in world rallying &ndash; a seven-round programme in the 2015 FIA WRC 2 championship driving a Ford Fiesta R5.
Pärn had taken a 29-point advantage into the final round which championship rivals Tom Cave and Craig Parry, winners last time out in Germany, were unable to overhaul. The Welsh pair led for much of the mixed-surface event after Pärn lost a minute on Friday when he was caught behind a slower competitor. Cave was forced to push hard for the additional points awarded for stage victories but he slid off the road this morning, lost three minutes and dropped back to second.
That left local crew Nil Solans and Miquel Ibanez to take a popular and well-deserved victory on their home event. Solans (22) used his home advantage to good effect, setting a raft of competitive times including his first-ever fastest stage time on Friday. When the rally switched to asphalt he upped the pace to take his maiden win by two minutes from Cave.
After his stage win on the opening superspecial in Barcelona on Thursday night, Frenchman Quentin Gilbert was the early pacesetter on Friday&rsquo;s gravel stages, winning all the morning&rsquo;s tests and opening up an early 28-second lead. However, his perfect start soon came to a halt when he slid off the road and damaged the suspension on his Ford Fiesta R2 &ndash; ending his bid for a maiden victory. Gilbert and co-driver Renaud Jamoul returned to dominate the time-sheets with 11 stage wins &ndash; the extra points helping them secure third overall in the championship.
Pole Szymon Kornicki finished third today and collected his first podium in what was easily his best performance of the season. He edged out Max Vatanen by just 1.5 seconds but Vatanen&rsquo;s finish earned him enough points to secure the hotly-fought Rookie Award and a place in the Shoot Out final to win a one-off drive with a Fiesta R5.
Ghislain de Mevius finished sixth after an event of mixed fortunes while Lebanon&rsquo;s Nicolas Amiouni returned after crashing out on Friday&rsquo;s final stage to finish eighth. Leo Urlichich also had his share of problems after retiring when brake issues saw him collide with a bridge but he bounced back to complete the event in ninth.
The 50th anniversary edition of Rally de España was the only dual-surface rally of the season. Friday&rsquo;s six gravel stages saw crews use DMACK&rsquo;s DMG2 tyre to tackle the rocky roads in the hills above Tarragona. Then M-Sport&rsquo;s mechanics transformed the Fiestas into asphalt specification for days two and three, with the GEM Fuel-powered cars now equipped with DMT-RC asphalt tyres.
Saturday&rsquo;s action comprised a loop of stages closer to the host town of Salou including the whopping 50km Escaladei stage celebrating the rally&rsquo;s history. Today&rsquo;s action concluded with four stages completing 372.96km contested across 17 competitive stages. Dutch driver Timo van der Marel also secured a place in the end of year Shoot Out after a strong drive saw him top the non-Trophy runners.
It&rsquo;s been a hugely successful inaugural season for the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. The partnership between tyre manufacturer DMACK and M-Sport has resulted in a fiercely-fought series. The concept was to provide a cost-effective entry level into the FIA World Rally Championship, however, the package of identical M-Sport-prepared Fiesta R2 cars, sustainable GEM racing fuel and control DMACK tyres has proved ultra-competitive. At Rally Finland, Pärn powered his way to a remarkable 16th overall &ndash; scoring the highest ever WRC finish for a Fiesta R2.
The Trophy will continue in 2015 with an all-new, one-litre turbo engine and information on the registration process will be released soon.
The Main Points
&bull; Sander Pärn and James Morgan won the inaugural Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy with a 19-point lead from Tom Cave and Craig Parry.
&bull; Nil Solans and Miquel Ibanez take rally victory &ndash; their best result of the season.
&bull; Max Vatanen wins the Rookie Award and earns a place in the end of year Shoot Out.
&bull; Timo van der Marel also wins a place in the Shoot Out.
&bull; Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy will continue in 2015 with a one-litre, turbocharged Fiesta.
&bull; Sander Pärn finished 16th overall in Rally Finland &ndash; the highest ever position for a Fiesta R2.
&bull; Cars are powered by sustainable race fuel from GEM Fuels and high performance oils from Morris Lubricants.
1. Nil Solans / Miquel Ibanez
4h 26m 52.8s
2. Tom Cave / Craig Parry
4h 28m 55.0s
3. Szymon Kornicki / Przemyslaw Mazur
4h 31m 50.4s
4. Max Vatanen / Mikko Lukka
4h 31m 51.9s
5. Sander Pärn / James Morgan
4h 34m 38.2s
6. Ghislain de Mevius / Johan Jalet
4h 34m 50.5s
7. Quentin Gilbert / Renaud Jamoul
4h 38m 45.5s
8. Nicolas Amiouni / Joseph Matar
4h 40m 09.0s
9. Leo Urlichich / Michael Gilbey
4h 54m 37.7s
*Results are provisional until official confirmation.
Trophy Classification After Final Round
1. Sander Pärn / James Morgan
120
2. Tom Cave / Craig Parry
101
3. Quentin Gilbert / Renaud Jamoul
55
4. Max Vatanen / Mikko Lukka
51
5. Szymon Kornicki / Przemyslaw Mazur
49
6. Ghislain de Mevius / Johan Jalet
48
7. Nil Solans / Miquel Ibanez
46
8. Yeray Lemes / Rogelio Penate
31
9. Nicolas Amiouni / Joseph Matar
20
10. Leo Urlichich / Michael Gilbey
6
11. Jos&eacute; Su&aacute;rez / Borja Rozada
-31
12. Marius Aasen / Marlene Engan
-35
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a fantastic end to a successful first season for the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. Sander and James really are deserved winners and I&rsquo;ve been impressed by both their dedication and pace throughout the season. Tom Cave really took the title fight to them with the result undecided until the very last loop of stages. This rally has also seen a super drive from Nil Solans to win on his home event.&rdquo;
Malcolm Wilson OBE, M-Sport Managing Director, said: &ldquo;Congratulations to Sander and James &ndash; they are truly deserving of what is one of motorsport&rsquo;s most impressive prizes and I look forward to seeing what they can do behind the wheel of a Ford Fiesta R5 next year. Displaying speed and consistency, they claimed the title over the course of the season with a very mature strategy. A very worthy and very deserving champion for the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy&rsquo;s first season. Congratulations must also go to Tom. He put up a good fight and I hope to see him back next year when I have no doubt that he&rsquo;ll be even stronger. The partnership between M-Sport and DMACK has been hugely successful this year and I think we have delivered a very exciting and appealing series. We&rsquo;ve had some close battles, discovered some exciting new talent and seen the less experienced drivers improve their speed throughout the year.&rdquo;
Driver Quotes
Nil Solans: &ldquo;This is wonderful to win my home rally and to finish off our season on a high. My aim was to come here and push as hard as I could but I knew there would be a big battle at the front as Tom was chasing the extra stage points. We&rsquo;ve driven hard and didn&rsquo;t make any mistakes. It was the perfect way to end the year after we&rsquo;ve tried to get faster rally by rally.&rdquo;
Tom Cave: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve had our ups and downs during the season but it&rsquo;s been a real learning year and fantastic experience. We&rsquo;ve gone to a lot of new rallies for the first time and it&rsquo;s always difficult with a new set of pacenotes but we&rsquo;ve proved we have the speed to be able to challenge at the top. I&rsquo;m aiming to be back again next year.&rdquo;
Szymon Kornicki: &ldquo;It has been a hard day but one of the most enjoyable of my life. I&rsquo;ve shown some great speed on this rally and I am thrilled with the result. We have had a good battle with Max the whole way through. The first time I came here with my daughter to spectate I never thought that one day I would take the podium on this beautiful rally. The DMACK Trophy has been a great adventure. The organisation has been fantastic, the atmosphere positive and supportive. It was the best decision in my rally career and I will do all I can to be involved next year.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen: &ldquo;We made a silly mistake this morning and it cost us a big chunk of time. ItÊ¼s a shame about the stage being cancelled otherwise we could have caught Szymon. My driving has definitely improved throughout the competition and I am glad we came away with the Rookie Award. Competitions like this are where champions are made. I have learnt a great deal, improved my driving and gained some great experience. Thanks to M-Sport and DMACK for the opportunity.&rdquo;
Sander Pärn: &ldquo;This is an incredible feeling to win the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy and to receive the prize drive. We came to this rally knowing we must finish so really it&rsquo;s been quite difficult to judge the pace. I must give a big thanks to all my supporters from Estonia and my family. James and myself have had a really great season, pushing when we could and backing off when we needed to. Now this prize is a great way to move forward from here.&rdquo;
Ghislain de Mevius: &ldquo;We had a mixed rally but my pace was good when we didn&rsquo;t have any problems. I wanted to push a little more on the asphalt stages and my times were ok then. This was a big learning year for me and it was exciting to come to the rallies for the first time. It was a nice battle with the rest of the Rookie drivers and very close finish at the end.&rdquo;
Quentin Gilbert: &ldquo;It has been a good day overall for me, I set all the fastest stage times which I am happy about. Finishing third overall in the championship was not the objective and I am disappointed not to finish higher but we&rsquo;ve had quite a few problems over the year. The Trophy is a great school to learn a lot of lessons across five very good rallies.&rdquo;
Nicolas Amiouni: &ldquo;We made a really good start and as we have done no gravel driving since Finland, I was very happy with our pace. But we hit some problems, like losing the intercom system, which meant we lost some time. We could have been on the podium had we kept a clean sheet. If we can get the budget together, I would like to join this competition again next year because it has been such a positive experience for me.&rdquo;
Leo Urlichich: &ldquo;We had some more problems on this rally but my times were better when everything was going ok. I must put the negatives from this year behind and move forward. We&rsquo;ve had a great experience in WRC and to compete at this level is exactly what I want to do. Germany was my biggest challenge this year and my first rally on asphalt.&rdquo;Tue, 28 Oct 2014 12:15:00 +0000Final Round DMACK Duel For Top Rally Prizehttp://dmacktyres.com/final-round-dmack-duel-for-top-rally-prizehttp://dmacktyres.com/final-round-dmack-duel-for-top-rally-prizeThe race to win the biggest prize in rallying reaches an exciting climax next week when the winner of the inaugural Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy will be crowned at Rally de España. The fifth and final round of the series will see a head-to-head clash between Estonian Sander Pärn and the UK&rsquo;s Tom Cave on what&rsquo;s set to be a thrilling battle for the top spot.
Runaway series leader Pärn and co-driver James Morgan are in the driving seat after winning the first three rounds to lead Cave by 29 points. However, there are 42 points on offer next week, 25 for the overall winner plus an additional 17 for each competitive stage victory. The extra stage points create a number of permutations in the race for the title and could turn out to be a crucial factor next week. Nevertheless, if Pärn finishes third or higher he wins the championship.
The pressure is on Cave and his co-driver Craig Parry. The pair must push to top the time-sheets if they are to stand any chance of turning the tables and lifting the coveted prize of a full seven-round WRC 2 campaign in the DMACK Ford Fiesta R5. It&rsquo;s Cave&rsquo;s first attempt at the Spanish stages while Pärn finished on the JWRC podium there last year. The Estonian has won all the gravel rounds this season and Cave has taken victory on the only asphalt event so Spain&rsquo;s mixed-surface rally really is anyone&rsquo;s for the taking.
While the top-two battle for the title, a number of drivers are waiting in the wings to steal the limelight and end their season on a high. Frenchman Quentin Gilbert will be out to prove a point. He led in Portugal, was seriously fast in Germany and comes to this event on a high after winning the WRC 2 category at Rallye de France earlier this month.
Belgium&rsquo;s Ghislain de M&eacute;vius, another asphalt ace, showed his turn of speed in Germany and is sure to be another driver looking to up his pace on the final event of the season. He&rsquo;s locked in a battle with Finn Max Vatanen for the Rookie Award but all six rookie drivers are still mathematically in with a chance of the award.
Spain&rsquo;s Nil Solans will be looking for a home advantage on his local event while Nicolas Amiouni from Lebanon and Poland&rsquo;s Szymon Kornicki will be aiming to finish off their debut WRC seasons on a high. Leo Urlichich is also hoping to build on his pace after settling down with the same co-driver for the first time this season.
As the only mixed surface rally on the calendar, the 50th running of Rally de España is set to be a thriller. Competitors need to master the event&rsquo;s legendary circuit-style asphalt roads alongside the rough gravel stages high in the hills of Tarragona. This format means M-Sport&rsquo;s expert mechanics have the challenge of transforming the GEM Fuel-powered Ford Fiesta R2 cars from gravel to asphalt specification during a specially extended service on Friday evening.
It also means an expanded range of tyres supplied by DMACK. Crews will use the medium compound DMG2 gravel tyre for Friday&rsquo;s six gravel tests and then have the choice of both dry and wet compounds of it&rsquo;s DMT-RC asphalt tyre for Saturday and Sunday.
The event is once again based in the holiday town of Salou and bursts into life with a Thursday evening super-special stage around the streets of Barcelona. Friday&rsquo;s gravel action takes place to the west of Salou with a repeat loop of three stages, including the 35.68km Terra Alta test. Saturday&rsquo;s stages are based around Falset and feature two runs over the 50km Escaladel stage celebrating the event&rsquo;s 50th anniversary. Four stages on Sunday complete the rally with the first-ever Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy winner crowned at the finish podium celebrations on the seafront at Salou.
Three private competitors will run alongside the main Trophy runners in a bid to seal a place in the final end of year Shoot-Out to win a one-off WRC drive in a Fiesta R5.
The Main Points
&bull; The final event will decide the winner of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy and the prize drive of seven rounds in next year&rsquo;s WRC 2 using a Ford Fiesta R5.&bull; The gap between Sander Pärn and Tom Cave is 29 points; 42 points are on offer in Spain. &bull; If Pärn finishes third overall or better he is crowned champion. &bull; It&rsquo;s Cave&rsquo;s first time in Spain while Pärn finished third in JWRC there last year. &bull; Crews will have a choice of three DMACK tyres: dry and wet weather asphalt tyres and a medium compound gravel tyre. &bull; All six rookie drivers can win the Rookie Award but Ghislain de M&eacute;vius and Max Vatanen are favourites.&bull; There will be a photo and interview opportunity with Pärn and Cave at the M-Sport World Rally Team Happy Hour at 17.15 on Wednesday 22 October.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been an exciting first year for the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy and we&rsquo;ve seen some real talent emerge. By offering a huge prize, the series has created some intense competition and I&rsquo;m looking forward to seeing how the race for the title unfurls next week. For DMACK, it&rsquo;s encouraging that we can support the next level of WRC stars but also use the series to prove our motorsport products are competitive in the two-wheel-drive class in addition to WRC 2.&rdquo;
Malcolm Wilson OBE, M-Sport managing director, said: &ldquo;The first season of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Sport Trophy has been a great success and, as we head to the final round in Spain, Sander Pärn and Tom Cave will battle it out for one of the biggest prizes in motorsport. Seven rounds in a Drive DMACK Ford Fiesta R5 will be awarded to the trophy victor and both drivers are truly deserving of the prize. Needless to say, the eventual winner will have certainly earned the opportunity. An exciting finale awaits what has been a highly successful debut year for the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. We&rsquo;ve discovered some impressive new talent and I expect the format to go from strength to strength.&rdquo;
Driver Quotes
Nicolas Amiouni: &ldquo;Like all rallies this season, my main aim is to gain as much experience as possible and try to get closer to the other guys. I&rsquo;m looking forward to the mixed surface event, I&rsquo;ve done one in Cyprus before and it was super fun. As it&rsquo;s my last WRC event of the season I&rsquo;m going there to give it my all and make the best of it. The season has gone really quickly and I just hope I can be here again next year.&rdquo;
Tom Cave: &ldquo;My plan is always to win but it will be vital that we score as many stage victories as possible to give ourselves the best shot at the title. I&rsquo;m up for the battle and can&rsquo;t wait to be back out in the rally car again after our win in Germany. The different surfaces will bring a new challenge and a new factor into our strategy for the event &ndash; it will be important that I adjust my driving technique for the Tarmac stages on Saturday and Sunday. I&rsquo;ve really enjoyed my first season in the WRC and have learnt a great deal, so to have the opportunity to win a drive in a competitive R5 car next year would be incredible.&rdquo;
Quentin Gilbert: &ldquo;Our plan for this rally is to try and finish on the podium in the championship. We will aim to win the last event and do as much as possible to get some extra points with stage wins &ndash; for us it&rsquo;s very important to end the season on a good pace for next year. If Tom wants to win the championship then he needs to push hard so it will be a good fight with him. We&rsquo;ve had a difficult year with some back luck but I believe this series is a great step for young drivers who want to be in the WRC.&rdquo;
Szymon Kornicki: &ldquo;My aim for this rally is simple, I just want to drive as fast as I can and have as much fun as possible. It will be my first rally on both surfaces so it will be a little different to adapt. It&rsquo;s a new experience and I can&rsquo;t wait to start. It&rsquo;s the first time again on these stages in Spain but we will try and find a good pace. It should be a positive week as all throughout this season we&rsquo;ve had a good performance and a great adventure.&rdquo;
Ghislain de M&eacute;vius: &ldquo;This is the last rally in the championship so of course I want to end the season in a good way. I think I will be on the pace on asphalt so if I manage to not lose too much time on the first day then it could be possible to challenge for a podium. The only real difficulty with the rally will be to find a way to be smooth with gravel tyres on the asphalt sections on Friday. This is my first time in Spain so let&rsquo;s see how things go.&rdquo;
Sander Pärn: &ldquo;My approach will be to drive exactly as fast as I need to in order to take the championship win. We will monitor how Tom goes and react to that. Like all rallies this year, we won&rsquo;t push too much at the start but try to build up the speed. Rally Spain is a nice, enjoyable event and the mixed surface makes it special &ndash; it&rsquo;s my second favourite rally after Finland. Winning the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy would mean a huge amount to me. It's the best prize in rallying and it offers a young driver the chance to drive in the WRC 2 with a competitive car and a very professional team. It's a dream prize for any driver who has his sights set on a future in the WRC.&rdquo;
Nil Solans: &ldquo;This is our home rally so I want to try and use the local advantage to push for a strong result. To be a good rally driver you need to be fast on both surfaces so I think having both asphalt and gravel roads here is a good idea. I competed here last year but there are over 100km of new roads, however, we did a small rally last weekend to get up to speed. This year for me has been about the experience and we&rsquo;ve picked up a lot.&rdquo;
Leo Urlichich: &ldquo;Spain is going to be the only rally this season where I start with the same co-driver. So perhaps we'll finally have a chance to start improving our rapport in the car. Rallying is all about the challenge and the variables, and the mixed-surface stages only add to that &ndash; I&rsquo;m looking forward to it. We&rsquo;ve had a lot of bad luck this season but it&rsquo;s still an amazing feeling to break through to the WRC and work with a team as supportive as M-Sport.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen: &ldquo;We have a battle with Ghislain de M&eacute;vius and my aim is to finish ahead of him in the championship and top the Rookie Award. He will be faster on Tarmac but hopefully I can pull it back on the gravel stages &ndash; but still I haven&rsquo;t driven on gravel since Rally Finland. We will be doing a lot of pacenote practice on similar roads over this weekend and then a test on Monday. This preparation should help give us the best possible chance.&rdquo;Fri, 17 Oct 2014 12:54:00 +0000DMACK Down Under For Important Aussie Actionhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-down-under-for-important-aussie-actionhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-down-under-for-important-aussie-actionThe Drive DMACK World Rally Team heads down under next week for Rally Australia, where it will field both WRC 2 team crews for the final time in the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship season. Finn Jari Ketomaa and Estonian Ott Tänak will take to the stages as the race for WRC 2 honours hots up. With at least seven drivers in with a shot at the title, a strong result on Rally Australia is a must.
As the third and final long-haul event of the season, the rally is both tough and complex. It's the first time both DMACK crews will have tackled Rally Australia so experience is low and the challenge is high.
Tänak and co-driver Raigo Molder are currently second in the WRC 2 points table, with this their seventh and final scoring round in the series. Ketomaa and Kaj Lindstrom are fifth in the standings with two events, including Australia, remaining in their programme. Both crews will pilot Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5 cars and will get preparations underway with a pre-event test on Monday.
The race is held over roads covered in loose stones and renowned for being ultra-slippery and dusty in the dry. But, if wet, the conditions change dramatically with muddy and treacherously slimy surfaces creating extreme conditions. The varied character of the event's stages also pose a complex challenge , one minute cars can be threading their way along tight and twisty tracks deep in the rainforest, the next they can be flat-out over fast and flowing roads in open countryside.
The New South Wales-based event sees DMACK runners use its DMG+2 gravel tyre which has proven successful already this year. DMACK has nominated the hard compound S3 as first choice for the rally, with the softer S6 available should conditions turn wet or cold.
Rally Australia is once again based at Coffs Harbour, halfway between Sydney and Brisbane on the New South Wales coast, and features a compact itinerary. After shakedown, a rally show and ceremonial start on Thursday, it's down to the real action on Friday morning.
Friday's high-speed shire road stages are based to the south in the Tuckers Nob and Newry State Forests. A loop of three tests is tackled in the morning, starting with the new 10.73km Hydes Creek. All three are repeated in the afternoon before two blasts over the new, mixed-surface Super Special test.
On Saturday crews will head further south to a selection of hard-based roads west of Nambucca Heads. The action centres around the monster Nambucca stage which, at 48.92kms, is one of the longest of the season. The loop is repeated in the afternoon before a second visit to the Super Special.
On Sunday the rally moves north of Coffs where a repeated three-stage loop brings the weekend's racing of 319.58km and 20 competitive stages to a close.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: "We've moved back to gravel again and hopefully both drivers can be as competitive in WRC 2. This rally is pretty important in terms of the championship and we need to aim for a solid performance and a strong haul of points to continue to challenge for the WRC 2 drivers' title. Australia is a difficult event but I'm confident our tyres can cope well with all conditions."
Ott Tanak said: "It will be my first time in Rally Australia and I've been looking at the video of the stages to get some information. They look really nice, fast and smooth in most places. It will all be new for us and I hope to be pushing for some fast times. It will be important for us to get some good experience of these stages and learn as much as we can."
Jari Ketomaa said: "The stages look like they will be really enjoyable and maybe the smooth roads will be a little more suitable for the R5 cars. I've never competed here before so our test on Monday will be important to ensure we have a good set-up and feeling to start the rally."Thu, 04 Sep 2014 20:18:00 +0000DMACK Crowned WRC 2 Champions In Australiahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-crowned-wrc-2-champions-in-australiahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-crowned-wrc-2-champions-in-australiaDMACK lifted its first-ever world rally title after sealing victory in the FIA WRC 2 Championship for Teams today at Coates Hire Rally Australia &ndash; round ten of the series. Jari Ketomaa took his fifth podium of the season after an action-packed event &ndash; giving the team an unassailable advantage in the championship race.
The Drive DMACK team took four wins from the six counting events, including a pair of one-two finishes in Poland and Finland, and were crowned champions in Coffs Harbour this afternoon after sealing the championship down under. The result marks the first time a tyre manufacturer has won a WRC 2 championship title.
The British company has come a long way in just four years after joining the FIA World Rally Championship as an authorised supplier in 2011. Working closely with its Chinese partners Yongtai, DMACK has made impressive progress in the series competing successfully alongside other major global tyre manufacturers.
Rally Australia, however, was a challenging event on which to take the title. DMACK drivers used a mix of hard and soft compound DMG+2 gravel tyres to master the conditions. Despite it being the Australian debut for both team drivers, the pair set fastest times on 12 of the 20 special stages &ndash; proving the performance of DMACK&rsquo;s gravel tyre.
Finns Ketomaa and Kaj Lindstrom had been challenging for overall WRC 2 glory before rolling their Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5 car on the short super-special stage on Saturday night. The time loss, along with some technical problems on Friday, dropped them out of the battle for the lead but they returned today to claim their fifth second-place finish of the season.
Meanwhile Tänak and co-driver Raigo Molder were blisteringly fast all weekend &ndash; setting a series of fastest stage times across all three days of competition. A number of transmission problems diluted their challenge before a heavy accident on the penultimate test today sent them into retirement and to hospital for some precautionary medical checks.
Mixed weather conditions and changing road surfaces made the New South Wales event a real test. The majority of the race was held on wide, flowing shire roads creating a fast, high-commitment event. In contrast, some narrow stages threaded their way through dense forests and featured damp, slippery surfaces where drivers used the soft compound DMACK tyre.
The 20 stages were held around the coastal town of Coffs Harbour, halfway between Sydney and Brisbane. Friday&rsquo;s stages took crews south to Tuckers Nob and Newry State Forests with Saturday&rsquo;s action, including the monster 49km Nambucca stage, further south around Nambucca Heads. Today finished with six stages before the finish podium back in Coffs Harbour.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;Winning the WRC 2 Teams world championship is a special achievement for a young company like DMACK and I'm proud of what we've all accomplished against really fierce competition on the toughest rally stages in the world. Coming away as champions marks this as one of the most memorable weekends we've had. Despite being fastest on most of the stages and proving the performance of our tyre, we didn't quite get the rally result we deserved here but taking the overall title more than makes up for it.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s great that we could win the championship here and DMACK has given us a really good selection of tyres for this rally &ndash; both hard and soft compounds were fantastic. My pace was good all weekend but we were aiming for the win and it was a shame we couldn&rsquo;t quite reach it.&rdquo;
Ott Tänak said: &ldquo;We showed a good pace here in Australia and were fastest when we didn&rsquo;t have any problems. It was a big pity to finish with a heavy accident but we got good experience of these stages and the different conditions across them.&rdquo;Sun, 14 Sep 2014 19:34:00 +0000Tänak Podium Confirms Top DMACK Asphalt Resulthttp://dmacktyres.com/t-nak-podium-confirms-top-dmack-asphalt-resulthttp://dmacktyres.com/t-nak-podium-confirms-top-dmack-asphalt-resultAfter being locked in a dramatic final-stage battle for victory in the FIA WRC 2 Championship, Drive DMACK World Rally Team&rsquo;s Ott Tänak finished runner-up to score a perfect podium during the team&rsquo;s best-ever asphalt result at Rallye Deutschland today.
The Estonian delivered a controlled, mature and error-free drive to overcome some treacherous conditions over the three-day event. He benefitted from DMACK&rsquo;s well-constructed asphalt tyre to hold firm and challenge for victory while other drivers struggled with the tough conditions.
Consistently climbing up the leaderboard, Tänak led the WRC 2 series going into today&rsquo;s final stage but was edged out into second by a mere 1.8sec.
The result marks an encouraging milestone for DMACK. In conjunction with Shandong Yongtai Group, its manufacturing partner in China, the firm has been working hard this season to improve its range of asphalt tyres. This weekend&rsquo;s action confirms the DMT-RC tyre can take the challenge to the other three tyre manufacturers in the FIA World Rally Championship and further improvements are planned to ensure it matches DMACK&rsquo;s rally-winning gravel tyre.
Tänak used the soft S3 compound for the majority of the changeable event. It was able to provide him and co-driver Raigo Molder with the performance to chase WRC 2 victory and the strength and puncture resistance to confidently take the huge cuts through the tough German special stages.
Rally Deutschland is traditionally one of the toughest asphalt events of the season. Its mix of unpredictable weather conditions, surface changes and technical stages saw even the world&rsquo;s top drivers succumb to the challenge.
Many of the timed stages run through the technical vineyards high in the hills overlooking the Mosel river. Their narrow, cambered roads are lined with walls and vines, with bumps, cuts and blind corners adding to the challenge. Low temperatures and overnight rain ensured the roads were extra-slippery.
However the toughest conditions Tänak faced were the broken asphalt roads on the Panzerplatte stage through the infamous Baumholder tank training ground. But Tänak stole the show to set the fastest time through the 42.51km test in his Autotek Ford Fiesta R5.
Rallye Deutschland also marked round four of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy where 17 crews in M-Sport-built Ford Fiesta R2 cars lined-up in both the main series and the Shoot-Out for private teams. Britons Tom Cave and Craig Parry took a decisive win to set up a final round battle for the title with series leader Sander Parn from Estonia.
The DMACK development team now heads to the Czech Rally Zlin next week to assess four new evolutions of its asphalt tyre. Tänak will compete on the European Championship event in a Fiesta R5.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;The mixed weather and surface conditions make this event one of the toughest asphalt rounds. However, Ott and Raigo have done an exceptional job and, as a team, everyone within DMACK has been working together and alongside our partners Yongtai in China. We have the confidence to move forward with competitive products for both gravel and asphalt.&rdquo;
Ott Tänak said: &ldquo;It was a difficult rally and one where we had to manage the situation and push hard when we could. It&rsquo;s not easy with these conditions but we had the right strategy. I&rsquo;m looking forward to next week where we will try some improved tyres. The progress with DMACK this year has been really impressive."Sun, 24 Aug 2014 22:00:00 +0000Tänak Leads Drive DMACK Asphalt Assaulthttp://dmacktyres.com/t-nak-leads-drive-dmack-asphalt-assaulthttp://dmacktyres.com/t-nak-leads-drive-dmack-asphalt-assaultDrive DMACK World Rally Team&rsquo;s Ott Tänak and Raigo Molder will lead the DMACK charge when the FIA World Rally Championship switches to asphalt next week with round nine at Rallye Deutschland. As the first full asphalt event of the season, the German round of the world series attracts fans from across Europe while its demanding special stages are set to lay down another tough challenge for DMACK.
The asphalt rallying rulebook is thrown out the window for Rallye Deutschland. Its unique challenge comes from three different types of special stages with three different road surfaces to test DMACK&rsquo;s DMT-RC asphalt tyre to the limit.
Many of the German stages run through the technical vineyards high in the hills overlooking the Mosel river. Their narrow, cambered roads are lined with walls and vines, demanding precision and instant turn-in from tyres. The surfaces can become slippery with dirt, soil and mud dragged out as drivers cut corners to find the quickest line.
However the toughest conditions will be faced on the broken asphalt roads on the Panzerplatte stage, which runs twice on Saturday through the infamous Baumholder tank training ground. Grip is compromised as the slippery surface pushes tyres to the limit while the abrasive, broken concrete really tests durability. If that wasn&rsquo;t enough, huge stones called hinkelsteins line the route so there will be no room for mistakes when Tänak powers his Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5 through the test.
The third surface is experienced on the more traditional public roads through the Saarland countryside but these smooth stages become treacherously slippery when wet.
To cope with such a wide mix of conditions across one event, the DMT-RC will be available to crews in hard H3 and soft S3 compounds. The tread pattern has grooves on the inside to maximise grip and traction while the outside of the tyre delivers the performance aspect allowing drivers to push and lean on the tyre.
Rallye Deutschland is again based in Trier close to the Luxembourg border. Friday&rsquo;s action runs across the vineyards in the Mosel region with a three-stage loop repeated after service in Trier. Saturday&rsquo;s four-stage loop is dominated by two passes over the daunting 42.51km Panzerplatte stage where crews get the opportunity to fit new tyres before the start.
Sunday sees two vineyard tests tackled twice before the 18-stage, 326km event finishes at the Porta Nigra UNESCO world heritage site in the centre of Trier.
The event is also round four of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy where 17 crews in Ford Fiesta R2 cars line-up in both the main series and the Shoot-Out for private teams.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;With the mixed weather and range of different, technical surfaces, Rallye Deutschland is always a tough rally for crews. We&rsquo;ve got two tyre compounds here to cope with the conditions but the demanding stages mean anything can happen. Our asphalt tyres have a tread pattern specifically designed to offer performance across mixed surfaces and we&rsquo;re confident in their ability to cope in Germany.&rdquo;
Ott Tänak said: &ldquo;I like Tarmac and also the stages in Germany. We&rsquo;d had some good times here before but the roads are very difficult. You can have different weather on every stage in a loop so it&rsquo;s always a compromise and the cuts can make things tricky for the second pass. I&rsquo;m looking forward to the event though &ndash; I&rsquo;m up for the challenge.&rdquo;Fri, 15 Aug 2014 12:57:00 +0000DMACK First, Second And Third In Finnish Thrillerhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-first-second-and-third-in-finnish-thrillerhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-first-second-and-third-in-finnish-thrillerDMACK continued its fine form with another winning weekend at Rally Finland, which saw a series of victories and podium results across every class of competition. Local Finnish speedster Teemu Suninen took a stunning victory in WRC 3, DMACK&rsquo;s first win at this level, as he headed a full field of Junior WRC regulars on an incredible Rally Finland debut.
Suninen proved he&rsquo;s a star of the future after claiming 12 stage victories in his Citroen DS3 and overcoming a huge accident to seal the win in front of an adoring home crowd. He was competing on Neste Oil Rally Finland as his prize for winning a coveted award pledged by AKK Sports, the promoter of Finland&acute;s WRC counter and the Finnish championship, to unearth his country&acute;s latest talent.
Despite leading for much of round eight of the FIA World Rally Championship, Jari Ketomaa was denied victory as he and Drive DMACK World Rally team-mate Ott Tänak scored a double podium, finishing second and third in the WRC 2 battle. Ketomaa and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom had been safely leading the pack in their Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5 but he punctured a tyre on some sharp rocks and dropped three minutes as the car slipped off the jack during his mid-stage tyre change.
Once again DMACK shod drivers dominated the popular support series claiming stage wins on all but one of the 26 super-fast timed special stages around Jyväskylä. Backing up the WRC 2 result, Argentine Juan Carlos Alonso took his Mitsubishi Evo to an easy win in the Production Cup.
In the top-class WRC category, Norway&rsquo;s Henning Solberg powered his Ford Fiesta RS WRC to a super ninth place overall on one of the season&rsquo;s most competitive events.
In the one-make Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy, Estonian Sander Pärn claimed an impressive hat-trick after taking his third win from three events and finishing a hugely impressive 16th overall in the nimble Ford Fiesta R2.
The series of victories and podiums confirms the suitability of DMACK&rsquo;s competition tyres across a range of classes and car categories &ndash; both front and four-wheel-drive.
As the highlight of the WRC championship, Rally Finland is a legendary rally and a real favourite with drivers and the tens of thousands of fans who flock to this event from across the world. It&rsquo;s the high speeds and huge rollercoaster jumps which make it such an adrenaline-soaked event and a huge challenge for competitors.
DMACK drivers across the board used the firm&rsquo;s soft compound gravel tyres throughout the weekend to offer precision on the high-speed stages and the performance need to master the fabulous Finnish forests. Once again the rally was based in Jyväskylä and crews tackled 26 timed stages, covering 360km of action over the four days.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;This has been an extremely strong overall result for DMACK and encouraging that we&rsquo;ve had such a number of leading finishes across every class. It&rsquo;s no secret that we had also targeted victory in WRC 2 and a shame for Jari that he dropped back from first place. This is a classic rally and the challenge posed by the speeds and stages here really tests tyres to the limit &ndash; once again we&rsquo;ve come away with vital technical information for future development.&rdquo;
Teemu Suninen said: &ldquo;It has been an awesome weekend for me and a real dream come true. After rolling yesterday I didn&rsquo;t think this was possible but we got back on a good pace and really pushed hard. It&rsquo;s extra special that we were able to compete with and beat the regular Junior WRC drivers in just my first time in this car and on DMACK tyres.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;Second place is good and gives us some very important points for the championship. The win was looking possible but we had our problems and dropped back &ndash; still we are in the fight for the world championship. It&rsquo;s such an enjoyable rally and great that we can be racing on these stages in front of the Finnish fans.&rdquo;
Ott Tänak said: &ldquo;When we had no problems we were fastest, so it was good to show we have the speed on these difficult stages. Unfortunately we had some problems and lost time so it wasn&rsquo;t an ideal event. Overall it was important for DMACK to have two cars on the podium.&rdquo;Sun, 03 Aug 2014 20:56:00 +0000DMACK Hoping For Finnish Flyer At Season Highlighthttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-hoping-for-finnish-flyer-at-season-highlighthttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-hoping-for-finnish-flyer-at-season-highlightWith a renewed sense of optimism after a stunning one-two in Poland, the Drive DMACK World Rally Team heads to Neste Oil Rally Finland next week, returning to the scene of a show-stopping performance from Jari Ketomaa in 2013. Round eight of the FIA World Rally Championship, however, promises to offer an even greater challenge with a selection of new stages at the spiritual home of rallying.
Finn Ketomaa led WRC 2 on his home rally from start to finish last year on the world rally debut of both the Ford Fiesta R5 and DMACK&rsquo;s new soft compound S6 tyre. His seventh overall result also saw him take an R5 specification car to its first ever WRC points finish.
The specialist nature of Rally Finland, with high speeds, blind corners and huge jump-inducing crests, means local drivers have dominated the event in the past. While Ketomaa and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom will have the backing of the home crowd, there are a host of new stages this year providing a huge challenge for everyone.
Team-mates Ott Tänak and Raigo Molder come to Finland searching for a hat-trick of wins in their Autotek Ford Fiesta R5. Alongside success after a dominant WRC2 performance at Rally Poland, the pair took a stunning overall victory on their home event at Rally Estonia last weekend.
After a slow start to the championship, Tänak will be hoping to use his experience of high-speed roads next week to score another strong finish and get his championship challenge back on track. Both crews will test on Sunday to finalise event settings.
All DMACK runners will use the nominated S6 soft compound tyre which sealed the WRC 2 win last year. A maximum of 28 tyres are permitted for both the event and shakedown, with an option to use up to 16 harder S3 compound tyres within that maximum allocation.
This year&rsquo;s Rally Finland is set to be another thriller. Organisers have extended the event and added a series of new stages to the four classic tests remaining from last year. The high-speeds, commitment corners and roller-coaster crests make it a legendary event, one of the highlights of the season and a real favourite with both fans and drivers.
The stage surfaces are a bit of a mix though and can really add to the challenge. Many of the tests run over wide, smooth roads with a hard base &ndash; boosting grip levels and driving up average speeds. But more technical stages, with soft surfaces that can rut badly on the second pass, can also create chaos.
WRC 2 front-runner Yuriy Protasov has switched to DMACK for the event and the firm is also set to supply popular local Kristian Sohlberg and Norwegians Eyvind Brynildsen and Henning Solberg. DMACK is also backing the future of young talent in Finland by supporting Teemu Suninen in a Citroen DS3. The 20-year-old was chosen as the winner of a prize drive after a series of assessments by Rally Finland organisers AKK Sports.
Next week&rsquo;s event is also the mid-way point of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy &ndash; the oversubscribed feeder series for young WRC hopefuls. The 12 registered crews vying for the ultimate prize in rallying will be joined by four Shoot-Out competitors gunning for a place in the final.
Rally Finland is again based in Jyväskylä and bursts into action with four stages to the north-east of the city on Thursday evening. Friday is the longest day of the rally with most of the competition based around Jämsä in two loops of four tests. Saturday offers a number of classic stages to the west of Jyväskylä before a short loop on Sunday brings the action to a close. Twenty-six stages cover a total of 360.94km of action.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;Even though confidence is high after a series of recent wins, Rally Finland is an ultra-demanding event which requests the utmost of respect. The conditions are varied and require a mix of high-speed precision alongside technical traction in the softer sections. We know our tyres are up to the challenge so it&rsquo;s down to the crews to best manage this legendary event.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;After a strong result last year, I&rsquo;m really looking forward to my home rally and know that we have a competitive package with DMACK. I believe it will be a difficult event as there are many new roads being used this year but this rally is one of the highlights of the championship and it&rsquo;s always a special feeling. As well as the high speeds, we&rsquo;ve seen some of the roads starting to get rough in recent years so there&rsquo;s always a mix of challenges to master.&rdquo;
Ott Tänak said: &ldquo;It will be a really good fight in Finland. I last competed in 2012 but this year many of the stages are different. Finland is such a unique event that usually it takes a little while to adjust to the speeds. This year we&rsquo;ve been lucky to compete on Rally Estonia, where the conditions and speeds are similar, so hopefully we can be on the pace right from the start &ndash; it&rsquo;s been very good for the preparation.&rdquo;Fri, 25 Jul 2014 11:50:00 +0000Worldwide Wins Mark Double DMACK Delighthttp://dmacktyres.com/worldwide-wins-mark-double-dmack-delighthttp://dmacktyres.com/worldwide-wins-mark-double-dmack-delightCompetitors using DMACK tyres scored a series of wonderful worldwide wins this weekend as the firm&rsquo;s gravel tyres proved the perfect choice to secure victory on a number of high-profile international championships.
Drive DMACK World Rally Team crew Ott Tänak and Raigo Molder scored an emphatic and popular home victory at Rally Estonia &ndash; a round of the FIA European Rally Championship. Twenty-six-year old Tänak used DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 tyre on his Ford Fiesta R5 to set fastest times on 10 of the 14 ultra-fast special stages. He led from start to finish to notch up back-to-back victories after taking a similar dominant win at Rally Poland three weeks ago.
The result marked DMACK&rsquo;s second overall victory from two attempts in the European series after Finn Jari Ketomaa was victorious on the snow-covered stages in Latvia last season.
In a dominant DMACK double, and proving its tyres are perfectly suited across a range of cars and classes, Estonian Sander Pärn and Welsh co-driver James Morgan won the battle for two-wheel-drive honours in Estonia. The current Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy leaders were a class act and took a comfortable win in the ERC 2WD category.
Meanwhile across the Atlantic, the DMACK-shod Subaru Rally Team USA finished first and second on the New England Forest Rally. Brits David Higgins and Craig Drew won the event and again used DMACK&rsquo;s gravel tyre to clinch their fourth Rally America National Championship title.
Team-mates Travis Pastrana and Chrissie Beavis were second in a similar Subaru WRX STI.
The weekend was rounded off in style when Niall McShea took maximum points in the Chinese Rally Championship round at Zhangye Rally, where DMACK is the official tyre partner to the Skoda Red Bull Rally Team.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been one of the most successful weekends in DMACK&rsquo;s short but significant history. Ott turned in an impressive performance amidst an array of ERC championship regulars and our tyres were able to hold their own against many of the other top manufacturers. I&rsquo;m also delighted that David Higgins was able to use DMACK to seal another sensational title in USA. With these high-profile wins, competitors are really turning to DMACK as a viable and competitive option.&rdquo;
Rally Estonia winner Ott Tänak said: &ldquo;Everything went really well and it was the perfect result for us. The DMACK tyres were ideal and it gives us a lot of confidence going to Rally Finland where the surface is similar. It was a great feeling to take the win on my home event and in front of so many fans. The rally was fantastic with great organisation and lots of spectators.&rdquo;Sun, 20 Jul 2014 23:29:00 +0000Tänak Powers To Dominant DMACK Victoryhttp://dmacktyres.com/t-nak-powers-to-dominant-dmack-victoryhttp://dmacktyres.com/t-nak-powers-to-dominant-dmack-victoryDMACK is celebrating its first-ever one-two finish after the Drive DMACK World Rally team claimed first and second in WRC 2 on the seventh round of the FIA World Rally Championship at Rally Poland this weekend.
Estonians Ott Tänak and Raigo Molder stormed to a dominant win after taking victory on 17 of the 22 timed stages. They were followed home by Finns Jari Ketomaa and Kaj Lindstrom in a similar Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5 as DMACK runners topped the timesheets on all but two competitive tests.
The event was always going to play to the strengths of DMACK&rsquo;s rally-wining soft compound DMG+2 gravel tyre. It reveled on the soft, sandy stages delivering the speed needed to keep Tänak and Ketomaa comfortably ahead of their rivals along with the durability and puncture resistance to ensure all DMACK runners could confidently negotiate the challenging tracks.
The low-abrasion surfaces meant that tyre wear was never going to be an issue but the badly rutted roads exposed rocks which tested DMACK&rsquo;s rubber. The ruts were so extreme that they caused the cancellation of two competitive stages when the event visited Lithuania for the day on Friday.
Tänak was on top right from the opening stage on Thursday evening. He went fastest and, together with Ketomaa, set the benchmark for the entire weekend. It was a welcome victory for the Estonian who has had a mixed season of highs and lows. Ketomaa was on his tail for the first half of the event as they blitzed the field but was slowed with a spin on stage 14 yesterday.
Norwegian Henning Solberg, who had switched to DMACK tyres for the first time, powered his Ford Fiesta RS WRC to ninth overall as he praised the tyre for its impressive grip and traction on the loose surfaces.
Another Estonian driver Sander Pärn, partnered by Britain&rsquo;s James Morgan, took his second victory in the one-make Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy to move clear of the chasing pack after round two.
Rally Poland was a landmark event for DMACK as it equipped 30 competitors for the first time. The event was based in MikoÃƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ajki &ndash; a small town set in the middle of the picturesque Masurian Lake District in the north-east of the country. Rally stages were saturated with spectators as fans flocked to the popular rally to catch their favourite WRC stars in action.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;With a DMACK one-two, it has been an extremely dominant performance from the entire team. We know Ott has incredible speed but on this rally it&rsquo;s safe to say we had the most competitive package and both drivers really were head and shoulders above the rest. Our tyres excel on this type of surface and now we head to Finland where we won with Jari last year.&rdquo;
Ott Tänak said: &ldquo;It was a very enjoyable rally and we were able to control the pace from the front The tyres worked well and my experience of his type of high-speed road meant we could push hard. It feels great to eventually get the result we deserve and it helps with the confidence for the rest of the season.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a great result result for the DMACK team. Yes, I would have liked to have been ahead of Ott to help my championship but we are here. I&rsquo;m looking forward to my home event in Finland next, after winning there last year, I&rsquo;m confident we can push to repeat that.&rdquo;Sun, 29 Jun 2014 18:33:00 +0000Solid Sardinia Provides Production Victory For DMACKhttp://dmacktyres.com/solid-sardinia-provides-production-victory-for-dmackhttp://dmacktyres.com/solid-sardinia-provides-production-victory-for-dmackDMACK endured a difficult Rally Italia Sardegna as the rough gravel stages across the Mediterranean island proved a real test for its gravel tyres on round six of the FIA World Rally Championship. However, despite an array of technical problems forcing a number of its top WRC 2 crews to retire on the opening day, the event still proved positive with a second consecutive victory in the Production Cup.
DMACK's hopes for success were led by Estonian Ott Tänak in the Drive DMACK World Rally Team, but he was sidelined on the opening day with a series of technical and mechanical issues. His Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5 re-started on day two and he eventually came home with eighth place after setting a number of fastest times when luck eventually swung his way.
Reigning Production Cup champion Nicolas Fuchs was less fortunate. The Peruvian never even tasted the Sardinian gravel stages after a terminal engine problem forced him to retire after leaving service on Friday morning. Meanwhile Quentin Gilbert and Egon Kaur were setting solid times in WRC 2 before the demanding stages once again took their toll , dropping them both down the timesheets.
But Argentine Juan Carlos Alonso upheld DMACK's honour as he romped to a second successive victory in the Production Cup , followed home swiftly by another DMACK runner in the form of Ramon Torres from Chile.
DMACK's DMG+2 gravel tyre was able to hold its own on the arduous stages. The Sardinian surface was initially loose and soft but quickly rutted on the second pass, exposing piercing rocks to catch out the unwary who strayed off line. It also featured a number of abrasive bedrock stages, which, compounded with the high ambient temperatures over the weekend, ensured some of the most demanding conditions for DMACK to conquer.
DMACK had nominated its S3 hard compound which was able to provide the ideal mix of durability, puncture resistance and performance , allowing competitors to set fastest times in the WRC 2 category. But the rough conditions caused many problems, with the lead changing hands five times as drivers were hampered with mechanical issues and accidents over the weekend.
The Italian round of the world championship featured a new base at Alghero in the north-west of the island. However, many of the traditional punishing stages were retained and were still in a rough state from the previous event. The rally kicked off on Thursday evening with a trip to the southern coastal town of Cagliari for a street stage which drew thousands of spectators and proved to launch the high-energy event in style.
The main action took place to the east of Alghero as crews tackled the gravel mountain tracks over three days featuring rocky roads and hot temperatures.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: "While we didn't come away with a reasonable overall result in WRC 2, we were happy and encouraged with how our hard compound gravel tyre stood up to the conditions in Sardinia. These are some of toughest roads in the series and, with victory in the Production Cup and a number of fastest times, we proved both the performance and durability is there. It's only by competing on these difficult rallies that you can really pick up the technical knowhow to progress and we are beginning to reap the rewards from the last few seasons."Sun, 08 Jun 2014 16:00:00 +0000Tänak Hopes Experience Will Help DMACK In Sardiniahttp://dmacktyres.com/t-nak-hopes-experience-will-help-dmack-in-sardiniahttp://dmacktyres.com/t-nak-hopes-experience-will-help-dmack-in-sardiniaNext week&rsquo;s Rally Italia Sardegna, round six of the FIA World Rally Championship, is set to be another huge test for DMACK with the challenging road conditions and high temperatures promising to punish both tyres and cars.
While the event boasts a number of significant changes this year, the tough gravel roads across the north of the Mediterranean island remain and, together with long stage distances, will prove DMACK&rsquo;s puncture resistance and durability.
Drive DMACK World Rally Team driver Ott Tänak is hoping for a strong result in Sardinia after retirement on the first day of Rally Argentina. He&rsquo;s already proved his speed in the Autotek Ford Fiesta R5 this year, using DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 tyre to win every single stage he completed at Rally Mexico in March. He&rsquo;s also a fan of the tricky Sardinian stages after finishing on the podium with third overall in 2012 driving a Fiesta RS WRC.
Tänak will again use DMACK&rsquo;s nominated hard compound S3 tyre in Sardinia. He will also have a maximum of 16 pieces of the soft S6 available should it be deemed to provide an advantage on the soft or damp stages. In total, WRC 2 crews will be allowed a maximum of 24 tyres for the event.
Alongside Tänak, DMACK will equip 10 drivers in the WRC 2 series including Quentin Gilbert, Nicolas Fuchs, Egon Kaur and Saleh Bin Eidan &ndash; all in Fiesta R5s.
Competitors are set to face a new-style event with a familiar feel when the rally kicks off next Thursday evening in Sardinia. The action starts with an all-new start ceremony and super special stage in Cagliari &ndash; the island&rsquo;s capital on the southern coast. While the service park and Rally HQ moves across the island from Olbia to Alghero in the west, many of the stages remain the same.
Sardinia is renowned for its mix of conditions. Many of the narrow, forest roads have an initial soft, sandy base which kicks up huge dust clouds in the dry. But, on the second pass, these roads can become deeply rutted and expose piercing rocks. There are also a number of extremely abrasive sections which can scrub away rubber and really test tyre durability.
In addition to strength, durability and puncture resistance, DMACK&rsquo;s runners also demand high levels of performance. The Sardinian roads are fast but quite narrow and a high degree of precision is needed to negotiate the rocks, water splashes and jumps which are familiar sights along the route.
Event Details
Teams head south to Cagliari to tackle the opening super special stage on Thursday evening &ndash; which they will recce in their competition cars. Then it&rsquo;s back to the north of the island for a loop of four stages to the west of Alghero which is repeated in the afternoon after service.
Saturday features just four tests but is easily the toughest challenge of the week. Crews will contest the mammoth 59.13km Monte Lerno stage twice during the day. Featuring the famous Mickey&rsquo;s Jump, which launches cars high into the air, the lengthy run in the Mediterranean sun will punish crews, cars and tyres. Sunday&rsquo;s final four stages finish with a flourish taking drivers to Sassari following by a blast over the power stage along the coast to the north of Alghero.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;Sardinia offers a really unique mix of abrasive roads and soft stages &ndash; both creating different challenges for our tyres. Some of the distances, especially on Saturday, will force drivers to think about how they manage their tyre allocation. Hopefully Ott can have some better luck on this event to take a solid finish and really boost his WRC 2 challenge.&rdquo;
Ott Tänak said: &ldquo;This is the only event where I&rsquo;ve scored a WRC podium so it has good memories for me and I enjoy the stages. This year will be a little different with some new roads but the plan is still to have a problem-free run. We will drive at our own rhythm and pace as, after a poor result in Argentina, we need to have a good finish here to give our championship hopes a real boost.&rdquo;&nbsp;Fri, 30 May 2014 10:03:00 +0000DMACK Heads WRC 2 Field For Rally Argentinahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-heads-wrc-2-field-for-rally-argentinahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-heads-wrc-2-field-for-rally-argentinaThe suitability of DMACK&rsquo;s gravel tyres to the WRC 2 championship will be demonstrated next week as the firm is set to equip over half the field when the FIA World Rally Championship heads south to Rally Argentina.
Ten of the 17 WRC 2 runners will use DMACK&rsquo;s DMG+2 gravel tyre and the entire field of new-era R5 specification machines will run on DMACK. It&rsquo;s also the first rally this season where both Drive DMACK World Rally Team drivers will be competing together.
Estonia&rsquo;s Ott Tänak continues his assault on the series after dominating Rally Mexico in March. He set fastest times on every stage he completed but lost time after sliding off the road. Jari Ketomaa comes to Argentina after finishing second in Portugal and both drivers will be keen to secure a strong haul of points in Cordoba next weekend.
DMACK&rsquo;s gravel tyre has traditionally found favour on the generally soft road conditions in Argentina. The firm scored its best-ever WRC finish of fourth here in 2012 and has chosen the soft compound S6 as its nominated tyre for the event. Crews will have access to a maximum of 28 tyres over the weekend and will be able to use up to 16 alternative hard compound S3 tyres within the total quantity.
While DMACK&rsquo;s gravel tyre is well suited to the sandy stages, Rally Argentina throws up a raft of unique challenges which will ensure this year&rsquo;s event is as demanding as ever. The technical stages are characterised by jumps, water splashes and the soft surfaces can expose rocks, especially on second pass. Then there are the long competitive loops &ndash; delivering around 80km of action per loop each day.
Competitors will tackle the 51.88km Ascochinga test twice on Friday and the high distances force drivers and teams to cleverly manage their tyre allocation to maximise tyre durability.
However, the exuberance of the hoards of energetic fans and the unique lunar landscape of the high-altitude El Condor stage make Rally Argentina one of the highlights of the season. Its base remains at Villa Carlos Paz to the west of Cordoba and features three days of action in three separate iconic regions.
Alongside Tänak and Ketomaa, DMACK will also be supplying Quentin Gilbert and a host of South American stars including Peruvian Nicolas Fuchs, and Paraguayan front-runners Gustavo Saba and Diego Dominguez.
DMACK is also the sole tyre supplier to the FIA Codasur South American Rally Championship of which Rally Argentina is the second round.
Event Details
Rally Argentina gets underway on Thursday 8 May with the hugely-popular super-special stage close to Carlos Paz. But the first main day takes crews north for two loops of two stages including the punishing 51.88km Ascochinga/Agua de Oro stage. Saturday&rsquo;s action is played out 100km south of the rally base in the famous Santa Rosa de Calamuchita valley with two loops of two stages and a final fling through the super-special to end off the day.
The final day could throw up some surprises. Two passes over the iconic high-altitude Mina Clavero and El Condor tests, characterised by their stunning lunar scenery, is a tough way to end a difficult rally. The event offers a total of 405.10 competitive kilometres across 14 stages.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;Rally Argentina holds fond memories for the DMACK team and it&rsquo;s the first time we come here with our new soft compound S6 tyre. It should be well suited to the conditions and stage surfaces but, once again, this year&rsquo;s event will be pretty demanding. It&rsquo;s an important event for the Drive DMACK team and we have a strong field of competitors opting for DMACK rubber.&rdquo;
Ott Tänak said: &ldquo;It will be a tough rally again this year and definitely one with an emphasis on endurance. There are long stages and possibly some rough conditions so it will be a big challenge. I&rsquo;ve only been there once before but the aim is to try and take the speed we showed in Mexico and fight for the top positions but, importantly, to stay away from any problems.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;I think it will be an interesting rally regarding the competition level as there are so many drivers that can win this rally. We will definitely have a tough fight with the regional cars. To win this rally you need to have no problems and a clean drive. I&rsquo;m really looking forward to it as we know the DMACK tyres are better suited to the softer conditions.&rdquo;Fri, 02 May 2014 10:02:00 +0000PÃƒÆ’Ã‚Â¤rn's Perfect Portugal In Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophyhttp://dmacktyres.com/p-rn--s-perfect-portugal-in-drive-dmack-fiesta-trophyhttp://dmacktyres.com/p-rn--s-perfect-portugal-in-drive-dmack-fiesta-trophyThe Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy delivered on its promise to provide close competition when this weekend&rsquo;s opening event saw five different drivers lead the series before Estonia&rsquo;s Sander Pärn blasted home to steal victory on the final loop of stages today at Rally de Portugal. The dramatic finish unfolded when Frenchman Quentin Gilbert, who started the final day at the head of the field, retired after a road accident on his way to the first stage this morning.
Pärn (22) and co-driver James Morgan, who was making his FIA World Rally Championship debut, found themselves locked in a scintillating final day battle with Brits Tom Cave (22) and co-driver Craig Parry. After making a slow start this morning, which allowed Cave to move into a slender 0.4 second lead, Pärn upped the pace to take the opening round victory by 20.8 seconds.
Third place went to the Belgian duo Ghislain de M&eacute;vius (25) and Johan Jalet who put in a consistent drive on their first WRC event.
The dramatic finish followed three days of arduous Algarve action on Portugal&rsquo;s round of the world championship. The event kicked off the cost-effective series which gave 12 aspiring drivers the opportunity to line up in M-Sport-prepared Ford Fiesta R2 rally cars shod with DMACK&rsquo;s newly-developed gravel tyre.
The opening sprint through the Tarmac street stage in Lisbon on Thursday evening saw Spaniard Jos&eacute; Su&aacute;rez edge into an early lead but when the rally headed into the Serra do Caldeiro hills above Faro, Marius Aasen from Norway moved ahead after setting fastest times on the morning loop. However, he was sidelined with broken steering as exposed bedrock on the tough gravel stages battered the Fiestas.
Saturday saw Yeray Lemes take the battle to Su&aacute;rez with the pair locked in a day-long fight &ndash; trading seconds on every stage. But the intense pace saw them both make mistakes on the 31.9km Santana da Serra stage. Lemes was first to retire after pulling a rear wheel off his car with Su&aacute;rez forced into a deep ditch after innocently clipping the inside of a slow corner.
With Gilbert&rsquo;s rally ending on a non-competitive section first thing this morning, Pärn and Cave found themselves in a surprise fight for victory. Pärn was slow out of the blocks allowing Cave to briefly move into the lead by just 0.4 seconds and creating a nail-biting climax under sunny blue skies. But Pärn responded to shoot through the final two tests and clinch a deserved win to go top of the points table.
Early leader Su&aacute;rez fought back to fourth but boosted his championship position by taking an additional five points awarded for fastest stage times and moving up to third in the championship.
Max Vatanen had a rally full of ups and downs. He showed a surprising pace on his WRC debut to set two fastest times but rolled on the opening day, incurred a road accident on Saturday and retired early today after sliding off the road.
Szymon Kornicki from Poland, Nil Solans and &lsquo;Crazy&rsquo; Leo Urlichich all had mixed events but benefitted from the WRC experience. Nicolas Amiouni from Lebanon retired early in the rally after a heavy crash on stage two. The Trophy resumes with Lotos Rally Poland on 27-29 June.
Final Classification
1. Sander Pärn / James Morgan&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4h 14m 19.8s
2. Tom Cave / Craig Parry&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4h 14m 40.6s
3. Ghislain de Mevius / Johan Jalet&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4h 17m 58.9s
4. Jos&eacute; Su&aacute;rez / Pablo Marcos&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4h 18m 01.4s
5. Yeray Lemes / Rogelio Penate&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4h 18m 07.9s
6. Szymon Kornicki / Przemyslaw Mazur&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4h 19m 20.8s
7. Marius Aasen / Marlene Engan&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4h 22m 20.8s
8. Leo Urlichich / Andrew Roughead&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 4h 33m 42.2s
&nbsp;
Trophy Classification
1. Sander Pärn / James Morgan &nbsp; &nbsp; 25
2. Tom Cave / Craig Parry &nbsp; &nbsp; 18
3. Jos&eacute; Su&aacute;rez / Pablo Marcos &nbsp; &nbsp; 17
4. Ghislain de Mevius / Johan Jalet &nbsp; &nbsp; 15
5. Yeray Lemes / Rogelio Penate &nbsp; &nbsp; 14
6. Marius Aasen / Marlene Engan &nbsp; &nbsp; 8
7. Szymon Kornicki / Przemyslaw Mazur &nbsp; &nbsp; 8
8. Leo Urlichich / Andrew Roughead &nbsp; &nbsp; 4
9. Max Vatanen / Mikko Lukka &nbsp; &nbsp; 2
10. Quentin Gilbert / Renaud Jamoul &nbsp; &nbsp; 1
11. Nil Solans / Miquel Ibanez &nbsp; &nbsp; 0
12. Nicolas Amiouni / Carlos de Barrio &nbsp; &nbsp; 0
&nbsp;
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;Congratulations to Sander for cleverly managing the event and pushing when he needed to. I&rsquo;ve been encouraged by the speed of some of the drivers but also by the performance of our tyres. They&rsquo;ve coped well with the tough conditions here and helped the drivers set some very impressive times.&rdquo;
Malcolm Wilson OBE, M-Sport Managing Director, said: &ldquo;It's been a very exciting opener to the Drive DMACK Fiesta Trophy. Considering the drivers we chose, I think it's fair to say that we were expecting some close-fought competition, but nothing quite as exciting as this. We saw five different leaders and then a gripping final-stage battle for the win. Congratulations to all of the crews who made it through these difficult stages, and a particular well done to Sander for claiming the victory here this weekend.&rdquo;
Driver Quotes
Marius Aasen: &ldquo;The rally started really well for us and it was great to show we had the speed by setting some fastest times on the first day &ndash; that&rsquo;s encouraging that we have a good pace. Today we tried to drive very safely through the stages without any problems and we stuck to that plan. We were a bit unlucky at the start of the rally but we finished very well. We know the speed is good when everything is working so we are still looking forward to Poland.&rdquo;
Nicolas Amiouni: &ldquo;It was obviously not the way I wanted the rally to go. The most disappointing thing was that we didn&rsquo;t get much experience of the car or the stages so I still have quite a bit to learn. We went off the road because we didn&rsquo;t have the right pacenote and were going too fast into the corner. Luckily both myself and Carlos are ok but it was quite a big accident.&rdquo;
Tom Cave: &ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a great weekend, a very tough rally. Conditions have been really hard on the car. We are pleased with second, it was nice to take the lead this morning but then on the second stage we bent the steering so I knew it was our first warning to back off. I have learnt so much in the space of three days and I can&rsquo;t describe how much my driving has improved.&rdquo;
Quentin Gilbert: &ldquo;Our rally and approach was working really well here. We don&rsquo;t have the experience of the car so we decided to maintain a sensible pace from the start and stayed with it. I knew it wasn&rsquo;t possible to be on the same speed as some of the other guys but it was important for us to learn the car and these difficult stages. It was a huge disappointment to retire today as we had a comfortable lead and it was looking good for the victory.&rdquo;
Yeray Lemes: &ldquo;We have good experience of this rally so it was one where we decided to show that we had the speed and it was a good battle at the front. But we went off, which is very unusual and it means now that we need to make sure to not have any mistakes in Poland. Fifth position is a good start but we need to do better.&rdquo;
Szymon Kornicki: &ldquo;This was so much different to any rally I&rsquo;ve ever done before. It&rsquo;s longer, tougher and we really needed to come here and get the experience &ndash; that was the most important thing for us. I know I can&rsquo;t race with the guys at the front for the moment so we decided to go steady and learn as much as possible. One of the things I need to improve is my pacenotes.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Ghislain de M&eacute;vius: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m so pleased with this result. There&rsquo;s no way I could have imagined at the start of the rally that we could be on the podium. I know my pace is not the best but our approach was to go steady and get to the finish and that really paid off. It&rsquo;s a great start and an amazing result for me.&rdquo;
Sander Pärn: &ldquo;This is a fantastic result and I&rsquo;m really happy to finish first. After the first day I didn&rsquo;t think this result would be possible but we increased the pace over the weekend and didn&rsquo;t make any big mistakes. We started slowly this morning and then I decided we had no option but to go for it and we lifted the pace.&rdquo;
Nil Solans: &ldquo;We had a mixed rally. Some stages went very good for us where the pace was much better and we were close to the top drivers. I didn&rsquo;t want to push too much as it was a very difficult rally and a hard one to start off the championship. You really need to have the experience here.&rdquo;
Jos&eacute; Su&aacute;rez: &ldquo;I&rsquo;m happy with the speed and especially with these tyres which were very impressive. OK, we made a mistake but it was good to take the most amount of fastest stage wins and that helps us a lot for the points. The feeling with the car was really good so we are looking forward to Poland now.&rdquo;
Leo Urlichich: &ldquo;This was an unbelievable experience and fantastic to come and start a WRC rally. It was very tough, difficult and a real challenge. We had some problems but it was great to cover all of the stages and really learn more about the car and stages.&rdquo;
Max Vatanen: &ldquo;It was encouraging to see that we have a good speed and to set a couple of fastest times. This rally is completely different from what I&rsquo;m used to and you need to drive with your head on events like this. The mistakes we made were on slow corners so I just need to improve there. I have picked up so much that I can take to other rallies.&rdquo;Mon, 07 Apr 2014 10:10:00 +0000DMACK Shows Strength At Tough Rally Portugalhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-shows-strength-at-tough-rally-portugalhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-shows-strength-at-tough-rally-portugalDMACK continued its stunning form on one of the FIA World Rally Championship&rsquo;s toughest events this weekend as Jari Ketomaa finished runner-up in the fiercely competitive WRC 2 series. Rally de Portugal lived up to its reputation of being technically and physically demanding as DMACK&rsquo;s range of gravel tyres provided Ketomaa with the strength and speed needed to top the times.
DMACK runners used a mix of its soft S6 and hard S3 compound DMG+2 gravel tyres to master the conditions. Portugal is famous for its demanding abrasive gravel roads which traditionally increase tyre wear. However, torrential rain early in the week made the pre-event recce a real challenge and left roads initially damp for Friday&rsquo;s opening action.
Ketomaa and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom started well after a strong run on a promotional event at Fafe Rally Sprint last weekend. They set a string of fastest stage times in their Autotek-run Fiesta R5 and held the lead of the WRC 2 category by the end of day one.
As the battle for victory intensified, Finn Ketomaa dropped time after being held up by a slower competitor and, despite pushing on the final day, was unable to claw back the time and settled for second.
Sweden&rsquo;s Fredrik Ahlin and Peruvian Nicolas Fuchs also shone for DMACK with a series of competitive times but had a number of problems over the weekend which stalled their progress.
For DMACK it was the firm&rsquo;s best ever result in Portugal. Its gravel roads high in the mountains serve up a mix of fast, open roads and narrow tracks. With hard bedrock, sandy sections and lots of rocks, the constantly changing surfaces deliver a real test for tyres.
With cool, damp conditions for the early part of the rally, DMACK&rsquo;s S6 was the tyre of choice as it delivered impressive traction and grip. As conditions got warmer and the roads dried out, competitors switched to the hard compound which offered impressive durability and puncture resistance.
The event was based at Faro in the southern Algarve region with crews tackling 16 competitive stages.
Dick Cormack, DMACK managing director, said: &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve lifted things up a level with our gravel tyres and we knew our selection would be strong here. Jari has driven well and we&rsquo;ve once again given him a high performance tyre to chase for victory. The results have been extremely encouraging and it sets things up well for the rest of the season.&rdquo;
Jari Ketomaa said: &ldquo;The aim was to come here and push for a strong result and second gives us some really good points for the championship. The whole package of car and tyres worked extremely well and we were able to push hard right from the start. It&rsquo;s just a shame we were slowed by a couple of little problems but now we have good confidence with it all.&rdquo;Mon, 07 Apr 2014 09:59:00 +0000Tri-Surface Test For DMACK In Germanyhttp://dmacktyres.com/tri-surface-test-for-dmack-in-germanyhttp://dmacktyres.com/tri-surface-test-for-dmack-in-germanyAfter sealing a stunning World Rally Championship WRC2 victory and confirming success in the WRC Production Car Cup at Rally Finland, DMACK turns its focus to asphalt with round nine of the FIA World Rally Championship at Rallye Deutschland next week.
As the first full asphalt event of the season, the German round of the world series attracts fans from across Europe and the demanding special stages are set to lay down another tough challenge for DMACK.
The asphalt rallying rulebook is thrown out the window for Rallye Deutschland. Its unique challenge comes from three different types of special stages with three different road surfaces to test DMACK's DMT-RC tyre to the limit.
Many of the German stages run through the technical vineyards high in the hills overlooking the Mosel river. Their narrow, cambered roads are lined with walls and vines and demand precision and instant turn-in from tyres. The surfaces can become slippery with dirt and soil dragged out as drivers cut corners to find the quickest line.
However the toughest conditions will be faced on the broken asphalt Arena Panzerplatte stage, which runs twice on Saturday through the infamous Baumholder tank training ground. Grip is compromised as the slippery surface pushes tyres to the limit while the abrasive, broken concrete really tests durability. If that wasn't enough, huge stones called hinkelsteins line the route so there's no room for error.
The third surface is experienced on the more traditional public roads through the Saarland countryside but these smooth stages become treacherously slippery when wet.
To cope with such a wide mix of conditions across one event, the DMT-RC will be available to crews in the S3 compound. The tread pattern has grooves on the inside to maximise grip and traction while the outside of the tyre delivers the performance aspect allowing drivers to push and lean on the tyre.
Priority crews are allowed a maximum of 28 tyres across the weekend and leading the DMACK charge will be Eyvind Brynildsen in the Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5. DMACK will also equip Ricardo Trivino, currently runner-up in the WRC Production Cup, and Rashid Al Ketbi in a second Fiesta R5.
Event Details
Rallye Deutschland is again based in Trier close to the Luxembourg border but this year's event will start against the backdrop of the Cologne cathedral on Thursday. Crews will make the long trip south to Trier via two special stages.
Friday's action runs across the vineyards in the Mosel region with a 65.68km three-stage loop repeated after a service in Trier. Saturday is dominated by two passes over the daunting 41.08km Arena Panzerplatte stage where crews get the opportunity to fit new tyres before the start.
There's just one repeated test on Sunday before the 16-stage, 371.86km event finishes at the Porta Nigra UNESCO world heritage site in the centre of Trier.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: "We are hoping to follow the success in Finland on gravel with another solid result on asphalt. The variety of surfaces in Germany makes for a demanding event in terms of tyre wear. The DMT-RC has been specifically designed to work in mixed conditions and, once again, we've been working hard to develop it based on the information from last year's events."Fri, 14 Mar 2014 14:23:00 +0000DMACK Shod Fuchs Wins WRC Production Titlehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-shod-fuchs-wins-wrc-production-titlehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-shod-fuchs-wins-wrc-production-titleDMACK driver Nicolas Fuchs has taken the first title in this year's FIA World Rally Championship after sealing a commanding victory in the Production Car Cup. The Peruvian dominated the series and, with five wins from the last five events, cannot be beaten with six rallies still left to run.
Fuchs, co-driven by Fernando Mussano, is the first driver from Peru to lift this title and accomplished the feat after a stunningly fast and consistent drive. He was second on snow in Sweden but then took dominant wins in Mexico, Portugal, Argentina, Greece and Italy - all using DMACK's DMG+2 gravel tyre.
South America is a key market for DMACK and it has supported 30-year-old Fuchs for the last three seasons. His victory seals an important title for DMACK, which has constantly performed well in the production category. DMACK took Production WRC victory on its very first world rally in Sweden 2010.
The tyre firm has locked out the Production Car Cup championship table with the top three places all currently filled by DMACK-equipped drivers.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: "This is a great victory for Nicolas and DMACK after such a dominant performance over the last five rallies. His win is an important demonstration of just how well our gravel tyre performs - as well as being fast, it's also ultra reliable. It's helped Nicolas push for victories but has also got him through the tough conditions in places like Greece and Portugal
Nicolas Fuchs said: "This is a goal I always wanted since I started competing and I've been through a lot to achieve this. I'm excited and I have no words to describe how I feel. I thank all the people who have supported me. DMACK has played a very important role in our championship and I would like to thank them for the support."
The win by Fuchs is subject to confirmation by the FIA.Fri, 14 Mar 2014 14:22:00 +0000DMACK And Tänak Up For Mexican Fiestahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-and-t-nak-up-for-mexican-fiestahttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-and-t-nak-up-for-mexican-fiestaDMACK is aiming to conquer the high altitude stages of Rally Guanajuato Mexico when the FIA World Rally Championship hosts the first gravel event of the season next weekend in Leon.
After the wintery rounds in Monte Carlo and Sweden, DMACK will unveil its gravel tyres for the first time this year as eager Estonian Ott Tänak heads the Drive DMACK World Rally Team challenge.
Tänak rejoins the DMACK squad for the opening round in his WRC 2 campaign using the Autotek-run Ford Fiesta R5. The 26-year-old, who recently became a father, made his world rally debut with DMACK at Wales Rally GB in 2011 &ndash; scoring the manufacturer&rsquo;s first-ever world rally championship points.
After a season away from WRC, Tänak proved at last month&rsquo;s Rally Sweden that he was quickly back up to speed and will be gunning for WRC 2 glory once the colourful event gets underway on Thursday.
Tänak will be joined by 2013 Production Cup winner Nicolas Fuchs from Peru, who won the Production category on last year&rsquo;s Rally Mexico, and 2013 Citroen Top Driver runner-up Frenchman Quentin Gilbert as DMACK&rsquo;s trio of WRC 2 runners. They will use the DMG+2 gravel tyre in the nominated hard S3 compound which retains a similar construction and compound to 2013. Crews can use a maximum of 24 tyres with a soft S6 compound also available.
Because of its location, conditions and itinerary, Rally Mexico is once again set to be a tough event. Not only do the high temperatures and altitudes sap engine power, but the ultra-long stages are set to deliver a tough test of tyre durability. The competitive loops between services are long but, more importantly, each day boasts a mammoth stage where drivers will have to carefully manage tyre wear.
The compact route sees action again take place across the dirt roads traversing the Sierra de Lobos and Sierra de Guanjuato mountains with 39% of the overall distance made up of competitive timed tests.
However, in spite of the energy soaking temperatures and rough roads, Rally Mexico is one of the fun events of the season. It&rsquo;s renowned for the energetic ceremonial start in the stunningly colourful town of Guanajuato &ndash; a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Crowds flock from afar to watch the opening Monster Street Stage which runs through tunnels under the town.&nbsp;
Event Details
Based in Leon, 400km north-west of Mexico City the action kicks off on Thursday evening with a one kilometre blast through Guanajuato&rsquo;s streets and tunnels. Friday&rsquo;s stages take place around Guanajuato with a demanding loop of four stages repeated in the afternoon and rounded off with a double blast through Leon&rsquo;s race circuit.
Saturday features a marathon 170km of competition split into two loops closer to Leon with a significant chunk of the race featured around the 53.69km Otates test.
However, Sunday&rsquo;s final day could offer a last minute sting in the tail with the huge 55.92km Guanajuatito stage making up the bulk of the action. It uses sections of stages from Saturday so the third pass could be tough on both cars and tyres.
Crews will finish back at the Leon Poliforum on Sunday afternoon after 22 stages covering 399.93km.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;Tyre management will be critical in Mexico and I think drivers need to think carefully around how they best deal with some of the long distances. Tyre allocations have dropped again this year creating more of a focus on clever management. After two events so far this year with inconsistent surfaces, Mexico brings us back to the first of six consecutive gravel events where we know our tyre is competitive and will allow us to push for WRC 2 victories.&rdquo;
Ott Tänak said: &ldquo;I'm really looking forward to Mexico. There are many new things for us with a new car, team and a new DMACK tyre, but I know that we have a very good package and I'm sure we will be very competitive. I've been twice before in Mexico and I really like the roads over there. As I've never driven an R5 car before, it will take some time in the beginning to get used to it, but the plan is to get up to speed as fast as possible and fight for the top place. We had a really good rally in Sweden, as I've had a long break without driving it was a bit of a surprise to get back to speed so soon.&rdquo;Fri, 28 Feb 2014 09:56:00 +0000DMACK WRC 2 Podium As Monte Snow Bites Backhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-wrc-2-podium-as-monte-snow-bites-backhttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-wrc-2-podium-as-monte-snow-bites-backDMACK kick started the new 2014 FIA World Rally Championship season in style after overcoming some tough winter weather conditions on this weekend&rsquo;s iconic Rallye Monte Carlo.
DMACK&rsquo;s range of four asphalt competition tyres, specifically designed for the event, helped competitors safely master a mix of extreme conditions &ndash; from snow and ice to torrential rain.
Heavy snowfall on the final day&rsquo;s action saw one of the most hotly-anticipated stages cancelled as some crews became stuck in the snow as they struggled to make the top of the pass. However, Irish asphalt ace Robert Barrable sealed a WRC 2 podium on his Monte Carlo debut using DMACK tyres to finish third in the series after 384km of competition across three days.
Rallye Monte Carlo traditionally delivers a mix of tough conditions which match the technically challenging asphalt mountain roads across the Haute-Alpes region in southern France. The stage construction means that crews can face sun-kissed dry roads on one side of the mountain but hit snow and ice as the terrain changes.
Tyre choice on the Monte is never an easy or a correct decision &ndash; but usually a compromise based on the current and predicted conditions. At every service there&rsquo;s constant and last minute deliberations concerning the tyre choice for the next loop of stages &ndash; with crews opting for a mix of different patterns to cover the mixed conditions.
DMACK nominated four different tyres for the rally. Its winter tyre, the DMT-ICE, was available in un-studded and studded form. Each studded tyre was equipped with nearly 200 metal pins to bite into the frozen ice and snow.
For dry and damp asphalt roads, crews opted for the DMT-RC tyre with DMACK nominating two compounds &ndash; the soft S3 and the super soft XS3.
It was this range, and DMACK&rsquo;s significant technical experience from previous editions of the event, which helped runners master the tough conditions. Right from the start of the opening stage near Gap on Thursday, competitors faced a mix of snow, slush, ice and rain for the two days of action around the new rally base.
On Friday night crews and teams moved 300km south to Monaco where Saturday&rsquo;s final-day action was based. The tough loop of four stages provided a snowy sting in the tail with the second pass over the legendary Col de Turini stage cancelled after some cars became stuck in the heavy snow. The other tests suffered from hazardous standing water after torrential rain turned the roads into rivers.
However, DMACK was both happy and encouraged with the performance of its tyres &ndash; mastering the range of extreme conditions and allowing competitors to safely and competitively start their season in style.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;Monte Carlo always throws up a range of hugely demanding conditions but our experience of the event from the last three years has allowed DMACK to supply drivers with a resilient range of winter tyres. Each tyre has performed well, we&rsquo;ve had no issues or punctures so it has definitely been a strong start to the season for us.&rdquo;Sun, 19 Jan 2014 09:54:00 +0000DMACK Equipped For The Full Montehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-equipped-for-the-full-montehttp://dmacktyres.com/dmack-equipped-for-the-full-monteDMACK will start the new rally season with a bang when the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship bursts into life with the iconic Rallye Monte Carlo next week. As one of the most famous, well-known and respected rally events, it provides a unique challenge for both competitors and tyre manufacturers.
The traditional asphalt speed tests ribbon their way through the high-altitude, mountain passes and it&rsquo;s that terrain, mixed with the traditional tough winter conditions, which make the event a classic.
However, this year&rsquo;s event heralds a number of changes. Rally base has moved from Valence to the Haute-Alpes town of Gap taking in a number of new special stages. The finish ceremony and base for the final day&rsquo;s action remains in Monaco nearly 300km from Gap.
In addition to fulfilling the usual demands around tyre performance and safety, DMACK will be providing an increased range of products to master the diverse conditions experienced on the event.
For snow and ice covered roads, competitors will use DMACK&rsquo;s DMT-ICE in either studded or un-studded form. The studded tyre is equipped with nearly 200 metal pins &ndash; each protruding 2mm to help bite into the frozen ice and extract as much grip as possible from the cold conditions. The un-studded tyre is best suited for mixed slush and melting snow.
DMACK&rsquo;s asphalt snow tyre benefits from an all-new compound for 2014 and has been studded using the firm&rsquo;s in-house T-bar stud system which helped seal victory on Rally Liepaja-Ventspils last year.
For dry, wet and mixed asphalt roads, crews will turn to the proven DMT-RC asphalt tyre which DMACK retains from last year. It is available in two compounds &ndash; the soft S3 and the super soft XS3.
DMACK is set to supply competitors in the WRC 2 series and privateers. They can use a maximum of 36 tyres from an allocation of 76 &ndash; this allocation is made up of 24 studded snow tyres, eight un-studded snow tyres, 20 super soft and 24 soft asphalt tyres.
Traditionally, tyre choice is made even more difficult due to varied conditions on the stages. It&rsquo;s not uncommon to see half a stage covered in snow and the other half over the top of a col completely dry. Drivers have been known to save chunks of time by making inspired tyre choices consisting of a mix of different patterns.
One of those crucial decisions could come on Friday afternoon at Digne les Bains when DMACK transports tyres for crews to fit at a remote tyre zone to complete the day&rsquo;s action.
This year DMACK and Michelin are joined by tyre manufacturers Pirelli and Hankook as the world series becomes a more exciting proving ground generating tough competition between top tyre brands.
Event Details
After shakedown on Wednesday the competitive action will kick off with six stages, a repeat loop of three tests, covering 125km to the west of Gap on Thursday. Friday is a huge day with over 178km of competitive driving across five stages. The action includes two runs over the massive 49km Vitrolles - Faye special before competitors head south for the day&rsquo;s final action on the way to an overnight halt in Monaco.
Saturday sees more familiar territory with a repeat loop of two stages taking in the legendary Col de Turini where thousands of fans line the mountain pass to catch some of the most exciting action the event has to offer.
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: &ldquo;Monte Carlo is renowned for its classic format and hugely demanding conditions. DMACK brings four different tyres to help competitors master the conditions and once again we&rsquo;ve introduced an evolution of our snow tyre after our experience on the event in 2013. After some significant news around the Drive DMACK team and the recently announced Drive DMACK Fiesta Cup, we&rsquo;re all really looking forward to getting the championship underway.&rdquo;Fri, 10 Jan 2014 09:50:00 +0000WRC 2 Prize For Drive DMACK Fiesta Cup Winnerhttp://dmacktyres.com/wrc-2-prize-for-drive-dmack-fiesta-cup-winnerhttp://dmacktyres.com/wrc-2-prize-for-drive-dmack-fiesta-cup-winnerDMACK and M-Sport have joined forces to provide a cost-effective series within the 2014 FIA World Rally Championship which offers an incredible prize drive of a full WRC 2 season in a Ford Fiesta R5 car in 2015.
The Drive DMACK Fiesta Cup will use M-Sport's proven Ford Fiesta R2 rally car to provide a platform to encourage fierce competition among the world's top young rally talent. Competitors will battle over five European rounds of the WRC using DMACK tyres with the winner guaranteed a full seven-round WRC 2 campaign in the hugely popular Fiesta R5.
Registered competitors will be supplied with identical Fiesta R2s prepared and maintained by M-Sport. With the series set to cost a fixed fee of just &pound;99,950, it will be the most affordable way for aspiring drivers to showcase their talent on the world stage.
The cup format, which has been specifically designed to be accessible and cost-effective, will kick into action at Rally Portugal in April. Two more gravel rounds will be tackled at Poland and Finland before two asphalt events at Germany and France.
M-Sport's well-proven Fiesta one-make championship has enjoyed success over the years. The format ran as the FIA WRC Academy in 2011 and 2012 before switching to the FIA Junior WRC Championship in 2013. The 2012 Academy winner, Welshman Elfyn Evans, used the series to gain experience and demonstrate his speed at world level before progressing to WRC 2 and now onto a full campaign as works driver for M-Sport.
This season the identical cars and control DMACK tyres will generate intense competition as drivers battle to win one of the biggest prizes in world rallying. The Fiesta R5, equipped with DMACK tyres, won on its world rally debut at Rally Finland this year and DMACK have already confirmed plans to run a two-car Drive DMACK team with Ott Tanak and Jari Ketomaa to challenge for victory in this year's WRC 2 series.
Competitors should contact M-Sport's Andrew Wheatley on awheatley@m-sport.co.uk for further details on the Cup.
Malcolm Wilson OBE, M-Sport managing director, said: "M-Sport has long been involved in discovering new talent, and this new venture with DMACK means that we can continue that tradition. The Drive DMACK Fiesta Cup offers a cost-effective way for the world's most talented youngsters to break onto the world stage and the prize on offer means that we could see some very hard-fought competition throughout the year. Needless to say, I am thoroughly looking forward to seeing what talent emerges."
Dick Cormack, DMACK motorsport director, said: "From the start, DMACK has always focused on stimulating cost-effective competition by providing an affordable range of performance motorsport tyres. This partnership with M-Sport and the launch of the Drive DMACK Fiesta Cup will support emerging drivers and provide a low-cost route to competition in the WRC. A fully supported drive in WRC 2 is an incredible prize and one which will undoubtedly make the Cup hugely popular."Thu, 09 Jan 2014 09:46:00 +0000